Portraits Chinois

The marketing blurb for this ensemble effort promises "Woody Allenesque," but let's not forget that Allen also made Interiors. Hence, the participation of Helena Bonham Carter is likely the only reason this laughless "comedy" about a group of Parisians and their romantic hang-ups ever received a theatrical bow. Ada (Carter), a fashion designer, has an on-again-off-again relationship with live-in beau Paul, a screenwriter who becomes infatuated with Ada's young protégé Lise, who has designs on...well, you get the picture. Director and co-writer Martine Dugowson populates this screw loose comedy with a group of misanthropic characters you wouldn't give the time to, let alone want to spend 105 minutes with, and while the film does offer up a mildly clever twist in the finale, it's a paltry reward at best. In the film within a film herein, a young turk director named Alphonse becomes enraged when a critic calls his latest "vapid and humorless." I couldn't have put it any better. Not recommended. (S. C. Sickles)