Look at Me

Meet half of the self-obsessed main characters in this French soap opera: Lolita Cassard (Marilou Berry) is a whiny, miserable would-be chorale singer who hates her dad, Etienne (Jean-Pierre Bacri), a whiny, miserable, but successful novelist, who suffers from writer's block, leaving him plenty of time to complain about his daughter being overweight. Meet the other half: Sylvia Millet (the film's writer and director, Agnès Jaoui) is Lolita's whiny, miserable singing coach who can't stand how clingy and worshipful Lolita is until she discovers what her student's dad does for a living, and begins to imagine how he might help Sylvia's husband, Pierre (Laurent Grévill), who also happens to be a whiny, miserable (but unsuccessful) novelist. And that's just how they start out. Trust me, they are even more whiny and miserable by the time the end credits roll. Those who enjoy Gallic slice-of-obnoxious-life films may want to look at this, but most others will want to look at something else. Optional. [Note: DVD extras include a 61-minute “making-of” documentary, eight deleted scenes (20 min. total), and trailers. Bottom line: a solid extras package for a so-so film.] (M. Johanson)