Heartbreaker (2010 film)
Encyclopedia
Heartbreaker is a 2010 French romantic comedy film starring Romain Duris
, Vanessa Paradis
, Julie Ferrier
and Andrew Lincoln
.
. The plot is centered around Alex (Romain Duris
), his sister (Julie Ferrier
) and her husband (François Damiens), who operate a business designed to break up relationships, but only where the woman is "not knowingly unhappy." The trio concoct elaborate, custom ruses to deceive the women. After each woman has fallen for his act, Alex tells her she has made him come alive again, but that it is too late for him. The women presumably each leave their relationships to seek men who makes them feel as Alex has.
They are hired by a wealthy man (Jacques Frantz), who is a florist and possible gangster, to prevent the wedding of his daughter Juliette (Vanessa Paradis
) to Englishman Jonathan (Andrew Lincoln
). The problem is that they only have 10 days to do so before the wedding. The task is further complicated because the couple appear to be in love and absolutely perfect for each other. They also could not find the usual "flaws" in the couple that they are used to looking for in couples to break them up. Alex, massively in debt to a loan shark through his own lavish spending on the business, is pressured into putting aside his honourable principles to complete the seemingly impossible job with only five days till the wedding.
Alex becomes Juliette's bodyguard in order to gain close and constant access to her. While on the job, Alex finds out things that Juliette likes and pretends to like these things as well to impress her; some of these things include Dirty Dancing
, Roquefort cheese and George Michael
. Eventually the two develop feelings for each other but the early arrival of Jonathan disrupts Alex's access to Juliette. The night before the wedding Alex and Juliette sneak out and have a wonderful time, and early the next morning Juliette confesses her feelings for him. Alex begins his usual script but, realising he cannot be with her after how he has deceived her, abruptly changes it and says she should get married.
The next day as Alex is leaving the hotel, his brother-in-law inadvertently drops Juliette's case file in front of her. Seeing the surveillance photos and her background information, she realizes her father has hired Alex to try to stop the wedding. Alex leaves for the airport, but his sister chides him for walking away from real love to return to an empty life of fake seduction. He runs toward the wedding from the airport.
Meanwhile, Juliette's father tells her that while Jonathan is a decent man, she will be bored with him. While they are walking down the aisle, he tells her that Alex refused to take any payment for the contract. Before reaching the end of the aisle, Juliette turns and runs away from the ceremony to find him. The two meet and kiss after Alex confesses that he hates Roquefort and George Michael and has never seen Dirty Dancing, but still needs to see her every day.
As the credits roll it is revealed that the loan shark Alex owes money to actually works for Juliette's father.
Victoria Silvstedt
makes a cameo as the lady in the blue Ferrari.
and the French-speaking region of Switzerland
, the film has grossed €32.7 million (£26.8 million).
The film currently holds an approval rating of 77% on Rotten Tomatoes
.
had acquired US remake rights.
Romain Duris
-Life:Born on 28 May 1974 in Paris, son of an engineer-architect father, Duris studied arts at university. He was noticed in the street by a casting director whilst waiting in a queue in 1993 and offered a part in the 1994 Cédric Klapisch film Le péril jeune...
, Vanessa Paradis
Vanessa Paradis
Vanessa Chantal Paradis is a French singer, model and actress. She became a child star at 14 with the worldwide success of her single "Joe le taxi"...
, Julie Ferrier
Julie Ferrier
-Early life:Julie is in the eighth generation of actresses on the maternal side of her family. She was raised in a difficult housing project in the Seine-Saint-Denis town of Noisy Le Grand. In 1988 she entered the Conservatoire Municipal de Paris, then attended the École du cirque Fratellini...
and Andrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln is an English actor, known for his roles in the TV series This Life, Teachers and Afterlife, and the films Love Actually and Heartbreaker...
.
Plot
The bulk of the story takes place in MonacoMonaco
Monaco , officially the Principality of Monaco , is a sovereign city state on the French Riviera. It is bordered on three sides by its neighbour, France, and its centre is about from Italy. Its area is with a population of 35,986 as of 2011 and is the most densely populated country in the...
. The plot is centered around Alex (Romain Duris
Romain Duris
-Life:Born on 28 May 1974 in Paris, son of an engineer-architect father, Duris studied arts at university. He was noticed in the street by a casting director whilst waiting in a queue in 1993 and offered a part in the 1994 Cédric Klapisch film Le péril jeune...
), his sister (Julie Ferrier
Julie Ferrier
-Early life:Julie is in the eighth generation of actresses on the maternal side of her family. She was raised in a difficult housing project in the Seine-Saint-Denis town of Noisy Le Grand. In 1988 she entered the Conservatoire Municipal de Paris, then attended the École du cirque Fratellini...
) and her husband (François Damiens), who operate a business designed to break up relationships, but only where the woman is "not knowingly unhappy." The trio concoct elaborate, custom ruses to deceive the women. After each woman has fallen for his act, Alex tells her she has made him come alive again, but that it is too late for him. The women presumably each leave their relationships to seek men who makes them feel as Alex has.
They are hired by a wealthy man (Jacques Frantz), who is a florist and possible gangster, to prevent the wedding of his daughter Juliette (Vanessa Paradis
Vanessa Paradis
Vanessa Chantal Paradis is a French singer, model and actress. She became a child star at 14 with the worldwide success of her single "Joe le taxi"...
) to Englishman Jonathan (Andrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln
Andrew Lincoln is an English actor, known for his roles in the TV series This Life, Teachers and Afterlife, and the films Love Actually and Heartbreaker...
). The problem is that they only have 10 days to do so before the wedding. The task is further complicated because the couple appear to be in love and absolutely perfect for each other. They also could not find the usual "flaws" in the couple that they are used to looking for in couples to break them up. Alex, massively in debt to a loan shark through his own lavish spending on the business, is pressured into putting aside his honourable principles to complete the seemingly impossible job with only five days till the wedding.
Alex becomes Juliette's bodyguard in order to gain close and constant access to her. While on the job, Alex finds out things that Juliette likes and pretends to like these things as well to impress her; some of these things include Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing
Dirty Dancing is a 1987 American romantic film. Written by Eleanor Bergstein and directed by Emile Ardolino, the film features Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in the lead roles, as well as Cynthia Rhodes and Jerry Orbach...
, Roquefort cheese and George Michael
George Michael
George Michael is a British musician, singer, songwriter and record producer who rose to fame in the 1980s when he formed the pop duo Wham! with his school friend, Andrew Ridgeley...
. Eventually the two develop feelings for each other but the early arrival of Jonathan disrupts Alex's access to Juliette. The night before the wedding Alex and Juliette sneak out and have a wonderful time, and early the next morning Juliette confesses her feelings for him. Alex begins his usual script but, realising he cannot be with her after how he has deceived her, abruptly changes it and says she should get married.
The next day as Alex is leaving the hotel, his brother-in-law inadvertently drops Juliette's case file in front of her. Seeing the surveillance photos and her background information, she realizes her father has hired Alex to try to stop the wedding. Alex leaves for the airport, but his sister chides him for walking away from real love to return to an empty life of fake seduction. He runs toward the wedding from the airport.
Meanwhile, Juliette's father tells her that while Jonathan is a decent man, she will be bored with him. While they are walking down the aisle, he tells her that Alex refused to take any payment for the contract. Before reaching the end of the aisle, Juliette turns and runs away from the ceremony to find him. The two meet and kiss after Alex confesses that he hates Roquefort and George Michael and has never seen Dirty Dancing, but still needs to see her every day.
As the credits roll it is revealed that the loan shark Alex owes money to actually works for Juliette's father.
Cast
- Romain DurisRomain Duris-Life:Born on 28 May 1974 in Paris, son of an engineer-architect father, Duris studied arts at university. He was noticed in the street by a casting director whilst waiting in a queue in 1993 and offered a part in the 1994 Cédric Klapisch film Le péril jeune...
as Alex - Vanessa ParadisVanessa ParadisVanessa Chantal Paradis is a French singer, model and actress. She became a child star at 14 with the worldwide success of her single "Joe le taxi"...
as Juliette Van Der Becq - Julie FerrierJulie Ferrier-Early life:Julie is in the eighth generation of actresses on the maternal side of her family. She was raised in a difficult housing project in the Seine-Saint-Denis town of Noisy Le Grand. In 1988 she entered the Conservatoire Municipal de Paris, then attended the École du cirque Fratellini...
as Mélanie - François Damiens as Marc
- Andrew LincolnAndrew LincolnAndrew Lincoln is an English actor, known for his roles in the TV series This Life, Teachers and Afterlife, and the films Love Actually and Heartbreaker...
as Jonathan - Helena NoguerraHelena NoguerraHelena Noguerra is a Belgian actress, singer and television presenter of Portuguese descent. She is the sister of singer Lio....
as Sophie - Jean-Yves Lafesse as Dutour
- Jacques Frantz as Van Der Becq
Victoria Silvstedt
Victoria Silvstedt
Karen Victoria Silvstedt is a Swedish celebrity model, actress, singer, and television personality.-Background:Born in Skelleftehamn, Silvstedt was raised in a family of five in Bollnäs, having one older sister and one younger brother...
makes a cameo as the lady in the blue Ferrari.
Reception
Since its release in France and other territories such as BelgiumBelgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
and the French-speaking region of Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, the film has grossed €32.7 million (£26.8 million).
The film currently holds an approval rating of 77% on Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
.
US remake
Following the film's success in France it was announced that Working Title FilmsWorking Title Films
Working Title Films is a British film production company, based in London, UK. The company was founded by Tim Bevan and Sarah Radclyffe in 1983. It produces feature films and several television productions, including films starring comic actor Rowan Atkinson...
had acquired US remake rights.