This looks like the sort of film that Woody Allen would have made if he made films in France. Well, actually, he does make films in France. And in England and Spain, as well. Allen claims he can no longer afford to make films in the United States, where films are churned out merely to make a profit. Really?
More to the point, Allen has discovered that Europeans finance filmmaking much in the same way that Americans finance sports stadiums: with public funds. The city of Barcelona, for example, put up 10% of the budget for Allen’s film “Vicky Christina Barcelona.” What more do you need to know about the difference between the cultures of “Old Europe” (to borrow a phrase from former Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld), and the United States?
One difference between a real French film and a Woody Allen version of one: the female stars all look well beyond the “barely legal” age. On the whole, this is a hallmark of French films. Most of the players, while attractive, have a generally lumpy and mussed appearance that would look quite alien in a Hollywood film. And while the female leads might appear a bit younger than the men, the age disparity isn’t so great that you feel you’re watching a remake of “Manhattan.” Refreshing, especially if you couldn’t stomach the original version of “Manhattan.”
From the press kit:
CHANGE OF PLANS (LE CODE A CHANGÉ), is a delicious comedy of manners from acclaimed Oscar- and César-nominated writer/director Danièle Thompson (COUSIN COUSINE, LA BÛCHE, JET LAG, AVENUE MONTAIGNE). The film centers around a summer dinner party where ten acquaintances, each attempting to mask their own personal troubles, come together for an evening of food, wine and friendship. It’s not long before the couples begin revealing their dissatisfaction with their partners and it becomes obvious that they are planning or having affairs. The all-star ensemble cast includes Dany Boon (MICMACS), Emanuelle Seigner (THE DIVING BELL AND THE BUTTERFLY), Karin Viard (PARIS), and Marina Hands (LADY CHATTERLEY).
– IFC Films
