Rent Madame (2017)

Tries to be more than it is. - Madame review by DF

This movie probably tries to be more than an average rom-com farce and it fails. The story involves a couple of rich ‘socialites’ played by Toni Colette (Little Miss Sunshine) and Harvey Keitel and their attempt to prop up their finances by selling an old master painting. This involves a dinner party with a guest list of obnoxious ‘hip’ urbanites. There is a snag with the arrangements when it is discovered that an extra guest has to be found in order to even-up the number attending. The host Anne drafts in her earthy dependable maid Maria to fill the gap. This Maria reluctantly agrees to. During the party and after a few glasses of wine, Maria becomes a bit hit with the other guests as she relates some saucy jokes; but are the others laughing with her or at her? Nevertheless one of the guest falls for her resulting in….. This is all standard rom-com fare but director Amanda Sthers tries to go a bit deeper and reflect on society and the class divide between ‘servants’ and their employers. The movie’s script and the mediocre acting of much of the cast makes a rather poor movie. In many ways the movie seems dated; something from the ‘Hugh Grant’ era and there is much conversation with clichéd, clever, sardonic one liners; all a bit flat. Toni Collette and Rossy de Palme (Maria) do their best, but why Harvey Keitel was involved, goodness knows. The movie is set in Paris which is some compensation in a mediocre movie. There are, by the way, several recent movies, with serious and compassionate intent, dealing with the issues of the servant/employer class divide; such as Roma (Alfonso Cuarón), The Maid (Sebastian Silva) and The Chambermaid (Lila Aviles). Madame ends up as nothing more than a rom-com farce, trying to be more, but failing.