Little White Lies (15) ***

Apr 24 2011 by Roz Laws, Sunday Mercury

LITTLE WHITE LIES (15)

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CAST: Francois Cluzet, Marion Cotillard, Benoit Magimel

PLOT: When Ludo is knocked off his scooter by a lorry in an horrific crash, his friends gather at the hospital – but then agree that his accident shouldn’t stop them going off on holiday. They stay at the beachside home of rich, grumpy restaurateur Max (Francois Cluzet, who looks like a taller Dustin Hoffman). Not a lot happens as we watch them eat, drink, smoke and chat, in a kind of French version of The Big Chill.

GOOD POINTS: It’s stylishly Gallic, with attractive people and a great music soundtrack. The ending packs an emotional punch but it does take two-and-a-half hours to get there.

BAD POINTS: The film is too long and slow and the friends are so self-absorbed that we don’t care too much about their love lives.

SHOULD I SEE IT? Maybe, if you’re patient, like France and don’t mind subtitles.