Mama There's a Man in Your Bed

I saw this on TV and was later very happy to find the video about these unexpected lovers, Romuald and Juliette. Romuald is a real yuppie, a director of Blanlait-company that makes yoghurt and is aiming to conquer new international markets. Juliette is an African cleaning-woman in the same company - and when she moves around unseen by 'important people' and empties the waste baskets, she stumbles on the office plots, which escape the director entirely, as he is being busy and powerful. And then one day everything seems to go wrong and Romuald works late to find out, what really happened...

Juliette comes in and suddenly asks, why he doesn't contact one of his employees. "Because he's in Lyon", Romuald answers politely but arrogantly. "People aren't always where you think they are", Juliette says. She asks him to call the man at his home in Paris and dictate to the answering machine: "I know everything, it has all come out" and in less than 15 minutes the man would come. And he should also call home, because her wife isn't there. And she leaves - and finally he calls. Juliette was right...

So starts this coalition: Romuald asks Juliette about everything, about his own secretary, money laundering, poisoning at the factory and so on - and lives in the run down apartement of Juliette and her children - all with different fathers. He hides from problems and acts like a polite but selfish hotel guest. Until he leaves to take back his place in the Blanlait company and his family. And realizes, he's in love with Juliette - who in turn has had enough of him. Romuald must win her over.

Daniel Auteuil (Romuald) is really charming in this movie, his haircut is by the way very becoming. He doesn't look this good in most of his movies. And Firmine Richard is delightful - as are the children. I've seen this over and over again, it is a really nice movie, it believes in people and goodness though shows people as flawed as they are - cheating wives and husbands, selfish children and plotting business men. If you're down and you can't think of a sure pick-me-up, this is it.

Its so great to know that there are films that don't rely on sex, violence and special effects. Who needs that when you've got a great storyline, great actors and direction.

Hollywood has a lot to learn about making great films. They seem to only know how to make big bucks.

Hopefully this title'll become available in the UK eventually. I think I'd even buy a DVD player especially for this should it ever get DVD release.

The name change though, I didn't even know it had been changed for the American market till I saw it here on Amazon. Why oh why?

Did the americans rename Amelie to "Honey, I sent the gnome"?