Hors de prix 2006

Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: The thing about a certain grade of contemporary French comedy, of which Priceless is a fine example, is the quality of the playing style. Nobody forces the situations, even the broadest ones. Read more

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader: The outcome is never much in doubt, but Salvadori artfully choreographs the endless table turning, and the Moroccan-born Elmaleh capitalizes on his striking resemblance to Buster Keaton with a similarly comic composure. Read more

Joanne Kaufman, Wall Street Journal: Tawdry? Not for a minute. Credit a subtle and souffle-light script. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: Pierre Salvadori's delightful comedy, picturesquely set in a series of posh hotels on the French Riviera, throws together two terrific comic actors and an irresistible premise. Read more

Noel Murray, AV Club: There's no froth like French froth. And few French-froth-purveyors are as adept as Pierre Salvadori. Read more

Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic: Priceless is a Hollywood remake waiting to happen. It's almost guaranteed. Read more

Ty Burr, Boston Globe: Priceless is a bauble -- an art-house diamond made of paste that somehow still gives you good glimmer for the money. Read more

Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times: The perfect frothy fantasy for the obscene wealth gap era, Priceless (Hors de Prix) stars a gorgeous, cellophane-thin Audrey Tautou as Irene, a dedicated gold digger who finds herself accidentally mixed up with a penniless bartender. Read more

Tom Long, Detroit News: A pleasant little piece of puffy French pastry reminiscent of many other pleasant little pieces of puffy French pastry. Read more

Jan Stuart, Newsday: This broadly amoral take on Breakfast at Tiffany's suffers from a serious case of who-should-we-care-for: He's a sap, she's a soulless vamp, their patrons are either cruel, self-deluding or both. Read more

V.A. Musetto, New York Post: Under director-writer Pierre Salvadori, Priceless provides lightweight, predictable entertainment that will make you yearn for the Tautou of yesteryear. Read more

Andrew Sarris, New York Observer: Pierre Salvadori's Priceless has been heralded as a French box office hit, which suggests that the French have become as corrupt and materialistic as some commentators insist that we are. Read more

Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: Read more

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle: Stop laughing long enough, and you'll see that it's a picture about compromised lives and love for sale. But no one who watches Priceless will stop laughing for that long. Read more

Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune: The appealing actors make up for the fact that they're portraying prostitutes. They are putting their bodies up for sale, but saving their hearts for true love. After all, that's the only thing that's priceless. Read more

St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Read more

Ben Kenigsberg, Time Out: Read more

Elisabeth Vincentelli, Time Out: Read more

Lisa Nesselson, Variety: Bittersweet comedy's perfectly chosen multigenerational cast ably demonstrates that if money can't buy love, it sure can purchase lots of obsequious service from four-star hotel staffers and costly goodies from laughably pricey boutiques. Read more

Vadim Rizov, Village Voice: Priceless begins as standard, unconvincing, assembly-line French farce and ends as a cop-out, feel-good rom-com. In between, it develops into something considerably more interesting. Read more

Desson Thomson, Washington Post: The routines may have been done a thousand times, but somehow they seem funny all over again. Read more