Vilaine

A drab rainy day here in La Sechere and we took the opportunity to go to a matinee showing in Terrason of the new film, Vilaine, directed by Jean-Patrick Benes. After seeing some of the promotion on television, we were quite curious as to why this film had gotten such a reaction from the SPCA over the treatment of a cat.
The star of the film, Marilou Berry, jokingly thanked the SPCA for the free publiciityand assured the audience that she hadn't really barfed on the kitten and that she had adopted it in real life.
I whole heartedly recommend this film and believe it will achieve a cult status in very short time. This is the Anti-Amelie film!
The comedy is brilliant, sharp and surreal. It was shot in the Dordogne Town of Riberac as well as our neighboring village of Terrason, and catches the small town feel that you could never get in Paris or another big city.
The main character is Melanie, who is nice, too nice. She is a big plain girl who has a hard lot in life with a demanding mother, a domineering boss at a gas station cafe where she works as a waitress, accountant and gas pump operator and has no real life. Her best friends, a trio of coniving small town girl friends amuse themselves by playing a joke regarding a mystery man who is interested in Melanie.
One day, they go too far, in fact everyone goes too far. Melanie goes from suicidial rage to revenge. She wakes up one morning and says "NO".
The revenge is sweet and though there are a few black eyes, a warehouse of broken porcelain, destroyed romances and some gags with build ups worthy of Tex Avery, there is a happy ending. In spite of the poignant statement about race, prejudice and deportation.......
One of the funniest movies I have seen in ages!