Roman de gare

A brilliant piece of construction, and talking too much about its specifics would only spoil the overall experience.

The freshness and originality that flow through Roman de Gare now burst into full flower, revealing the director's depth and perception.

There's a lot of pleasure in seeing a mature filmmaker put together something so intricate with what seems like so little strain.

Roman de Gare translates as "station novel," a book you might pick up to read on a train journey and then discard when you arrive at your destination. Lelouch's film is the cinematic equivalent, enjoyable fluff that your mind will discard after the closing credits - but worth seeing nevertheless.

This goofy tale of self-emancipation, a love story made by a mature man wise to the possibilities of the improbable, is also a thriller with an unexpectedly dark edge.

Roman De Gare's neatest trick is Pinon's performance, which draws out a hitherto unseen leading-man allure.

The story's Hitchcockian plot loses steam quickly, though Pinon's salty presence keeps things from getting totally bloodless.