Talk about low-budget. This film was shot on digital video in 13 days. There was no script, just an extensive outline. Wow. Director Jesse Peretz's feature film debut was inspired by his experiences as an American traveling abroad.
The story follows two adopted American brothers, played by Paul Rudd and Romany Malco. They learn they have inherited a chateau in France from an uncle who is the Count de Granville. When they arrive at the house, they find the servants are still living there. Both guys need money, so they decide to put the house up for sale with the condition that the buyer retains the services of the domestic help. Of course, these guys speak very little French and the help speaks little English. Hilarity ensues.
Reviews of the film have been fairly positive in terms of the acting. Both the American and French casts do a wonderful job with their characters, especially considering that the dialogue is improvised and not written into a script. The main complaint seems to be from the actual filming and cinematography, or lack thereof. This film could've been shot anywhere, because we see nothing of the French countryside. The lighting also seems to be a problem. However, the strong performances more than make up for the lack of filmmaking technique. (Marty Doskins/BOP)
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