Imagine a French version of Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill, with sunny weather, beaches, and fine food and wine, and this will give you a flavour of what Little White Lies is all about.
Imagine a French version of Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill, with sunny weather, beaches, and fine food and wine, and this will give you a flavour of what Little White Lies is all about.
An incredible opening shot sees the gregarious Ludo up end in hospital. As his friends rush to his side, they have to decide whether to still take their annual beachside vacation together or stay in Paris and visit Ludo in the ICU. Of course they choose the holiday, but their usual summer frivolity begins to unravel as the group’s brush with mortality begins to reveal darker recesses to their usual sunny facades.
The superb cast, which includes award-winning actors Marion Cotillard and François Cluzet, add real nuances to the characters as they bicker and laugh together. There are some hilarious moments, such as the one where Max (Cluzet), a rich restaurateur and owner of the beach house, has a quiet lunch with his friend and masseur before they leave for the sea.
This isn’t the usual broad, farcical humour the French populous love, but played out through Max’s facial expressions. Of course, being French, there are also moments of drama, passion, love and sadness. In fact, a full range of emotions and reactions are on display. At two-and-a-half hours it feels a little overlong at times, but it is magnificent and engrossing nonetheless.