LE DIVORCE (DVD/SENSORMATIC) DVD

Le Divorce
Based on the 1997 National Book Award-nominated novel of the same name by Diane Johnson (co-writer of the script for Stanley Kubrick's The Shining), Le Divorce is a Romantic comedy from director James Ivory. Revisiting the "Americans in France" theme that Ivory explored in 1998's A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries, the film stars Kate Hudson as Isabel Walker. When she receives word that her pregnant poetess sister Roxy (Naomi Watts) has been left by her philandering French husband, artist Charles-Henri de Persand (Melvil Poupaud), Isabel offers her help and moral support. As the depressive Roxy struggles with the separation proceedings -- which include the rights to ownership of a work of art that's a family heirloom -- Isabel takes a job with author Olivia Pace and has a fling with the bohemian Yves (Romain Duris). But things get complicated when the younger, more impudent sister decides instead to pursue Charles' uncle, the snooty, married diplomat Edgar (Thierry Lhermitte), and when a mysterious man (Matthew Modine) starts stalking Roxy. Eventually, the rest of the plucky Walker clan has to come to the aid of the siblings. Stockard Channing and Sam Waterston co-star. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide

Cast Kate Hudson as Isabel Walker Naomi Watts as Roxeanne de Persand Jean-Marc Barr as Maitre Bertram Leslie Caron as Suizanne de Persand Stockard Channing as Margreeve Walker Glenn Close as Olivia Pace Romain Duris as Yves Stephen Fry as Piers Janely Samuel Labarthe as Antoine de Persand Thomas Lennon as Roger Walker Thierry Lhermitte as Edgar Cosset Daniel Mesguich as Louvre Expert Matthew Modine as Tellman Bebe Neuwirth as Julia Manchevering Melvil Poupaud as Charles-Henri de Persand Nathalie Richard as Charlotte de Persand Catherine Samie as Madame Florian Sam Waterston as Chester Walker Rona Hartner as Magda

Crew Annette Trumel - Casting Richard Hawley - Co-producer Paul Bradley - Co-producer Carol Ramsey - Costume Designer George Every - First Assistant Director James Ivory - Director John David Allen - Editor Scott Kroopf - Executive Producer Ted Field - Executive Producer Erica Huggins - Executive Producer Rahila Bootwala - Line Producer Richard Robbins - Composer (Music Score) Frederic Benard - Production Designer Pierre Lhomme - Cinematographer Ismail Merchant - Producer Michael Schiffer - Producer Ludovic Henault - Sound/Sound Designer Ruth Prawer Jhabvala - Screenwriter James Ivory - Screenwriter Diane Johnson - Book Author

Le Divorce
There are some mild attempts at social commentary in Le Divorce, but the film is too lightweight to qualify as a serious drama. It's also too tastefully genteel for biting social satire and the characters aren't sufficiently well developed for gripping drama, despite some melodramatic (and contrived) plot developments. Kate Hudson doesn't manage to flesh out Isabel Walker to make her seem multi-layered or even particularly engaging, and the film doesn't make much effort to get inside her head, so the movie isn't much of a character study, either. These problems would be surmountable if the film worked as a frothy omantic comedy, but it's too dull and passionless, and neither playful nor funny enough. It's also cluttered with underwritten supporting characters, but at least this provides talented actors such as Glenn Close, Bebe Neuwirth, and Stephen Fry a chance to provide relatively memorable performances in their small roles. Other than that, however, the movie doesn't offer much. ~ Todd Kristel, All Movie Guide
 

(no awards)

General Specifications: Language Options: English, Spanish, French Subtitle Options: English, Spanish, French Sound Processing: DD5.1: Dolby Digital w/ sub-woofer channel DDS: Dolby Digital Surround Additional Features: cc Original trailer DVD Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1: 2.40:1 1.33:1: Pre-1954 Standard MPAA Rating: PG13 DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 2 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 117 min   DVD Chapters: Side #1 -- Full Screen 1. Main Titles/Hello, Goodbye 2. The In-Laws 3. In Denial 4. Franco-American Relations 5. Not Herself 6. Money and the Arts 7. Helpless 8. Uncle Edgar 9. Quite an Offer 10. A Gift 11. The Affair Begins 12. The Book Signing 13. The Wages of Sin 14. Choices 15. Blame 16. Family Visit 17. Authentication 18. Old and New 19. Extended Family 20. Packing It In 21. The Other Man 22. Consequences 23. The Last Luncheon 24. New Lives/End Titles Side #2 -- Widescreen 1. Main Titles/Hello, Goodbye 2. The In-Laws 3. In Denial 4. Franco-American Relations 5. Not Herself 6. Money and the Arts 7. Helpless 8. Uncle Edgar 9. Quite an Offer 10. A Gift 11. The Affair Begins 12. The Book Signing 13. The Wages of Sin 14. Choices 15. Blame 16. Family Visit 17. Authentication 18. Old and New 19. Extended Family 20. Packing It In 21. The Other Man 22. Consequences 23. The Last Luncheon 24. New Lives/End Titles