Avenue Montaigne

Another seriocomic ensemble piece from French writer-director Daniele Thompson (Jet Lag), Avenue Montaigne shuffles the stories of several geographically close people whose lives are on the verge of radical change: a concert pianist tired of the recital grind; a longtime concert hall concierge who's about to retire; a stage actress desperately trying to catch the eye of a visiting filmmaker; and a recently-widowed businessman arranging the sale of his large art collection through an auction house. The link to these separate narrative strands is provided by Jessica (Cécile De France), an upbeat young arrival from the sticks working as a waitress at the neighborhood brasserie. Some of the plot twists—especially involving the denouement of the pianist's farewell concert, and the actress' attempt to impress the director on opening night—are not remotely plausible, but even at its weakest, Avenue Montaigne remains a film of charm and delicacy (and Sydney Pollack shines as the initially doubtful filmmaker). Recommended. (F. Swietek)