Rent A Winter's Tale (1992)

Faith, Hope, and a Misaddressed Christmas Miracle - A Winter's Tale review by griggs

There’s something oddly cheering about watching someone bet their entire love life on a typo, and A Tale of Winter leans into that with a straight face. Félicie is convinced that one wrong address hasn’t doomed her romance forever — and thanks to Charlotte Véry’s serene, slightly bewildered charm, you almost admire the audacity. I kept thinking, “Anyone else would’ve moved on, but alright, let’s see where this goes.”

Rohmer shuttles her between Paris and a quietly unhurried provincial town, each offering a different version of the life she might settle for. Loïc is bookish, gentle, and looks like he alphabetises his pantry. Maxence is friendly chaos with hairdressing scissors. Both give her something, but neither melts the emotional frost she’s carrying around like a season of her own.

What makes the film so lovely is Rohmer’s wry patience with her. He never mocks her certainty; he just watches it, curious, amused, and quietly rooting for her. And when the universe finally throws her a bone, it lands with a small, satisfying thud — the kind that makes you smile more than you expect.