It’s hard to imagine a comedy starring three of the most talented actors in France not being one of those witty farces at which the French excel. Yet “Potiche,” which starts with such promise, is ultimately as unsatisfactory as the life of the bored housewife at its center. The title can be loosely translated as “trophy wife,” and that’s exactly what Suzanne (played by Catherine Deneuve) is. Her only outlet for the energy crying for release is a notebook she carries to write banal poetry about flora and fauna. It’s 1977, but the women’s movement doesn’t seem to have yet reached her corner of France. Her husband, Robert (Fabrice Luchini), certainly hasn’t heard of it. When Suzanne tries to give voice to her views, he cuts her off: “Your job is to share my opinion. Don’t waste my time.” Never mind that it’s Suzanne’s father who founded the factory Robert now runs.
Suzanne gets her revenge, quite by accident. Robert falls ill from the stress of a workers’ strike, and she is forced to deal with the negotiations. She proves an able businesswoman, winning the rabble-rousers over with her unstoppable charm and perseverance — and a little help from an old lover, leftist mayor Maurice (Gerard Depardieu).
| On screen |
| ‘Potiche’ |
| 3 out of 5 stars |
| Stars: Catherine Deneuve, Fabrice Luchini, Gerard Depardieu |
| Director: Francois Ozon |
| Rated: R for some sexuality |
| Running time: 103 minutes |
What will happen when Robert returns? Will he take Suzanne away from both her new job and her old love? Or will he finally learn that this powerful woman he’s ignored for three decades should command his respect?
The stage would be set for grand high jinks, but this point is precisely where the film takes a steep drop. You can’t blame the players. Deneuve is as luminous as ever; you can believe she’d charm the tux off a penguin. Luchini was made to play the farce. He has a particular talent for giving life to the obnoxiously frustrating husband, as he previously proved in 2007’s “Moliere.” Depardieu has his leading man days behind him — let’s face it, he’s gotten awkward and a bit portly — but he still carries a lot of presence to the screen. Here, he’s fun when as the old revolutionary he discovers he has a soft spot — and just as good when he rubs it out. They’re just not given enough to work with. “Potiche” is trying to be modern, just like Suzanne herself, but the movie’s slow plot and flimsy dialogue simply don’t win us over.
Writer-director Francois Ozon got our attention with the 2003 thriller “Swimming Pool,” a taut film that held our breath as it reached its surprising ending. “Potiche” isn’t nearly so successful. Still, there are worse ways to spend an evening than watching these old pros do battle.
