Populaire 2012

Stephen Holden, New York Times: "Populaire" tells the kind of transcendentally silly fairy tale that has long been a French cinematic specialty. Read more

Sara Stewart, New York Post: The fabulous retro look and joie de vivre of this French lark are so infectious, it's easy to forgive its fatal flaw: Watching someone type is just not that interesting. Read more

Moira MacDonald, Seattle Times: As romantic comedy it's uneven, but as an ode to something long gone, "Populaire" hits the right notes. Read more

Boyd van Hoeij, Variety: A colorful and impeccably styled romantic comedy that manages to turn the speed-typing competitions of the 1950s into entertaining cinematic fodder. Read more

A.A. Dowd, AV Club: Only those unversed in frothy, Weinstein-approved confections will wonder where Populaire is headed. Read more

Barbara VanDenburgh, Arizona Republic: "Populaire" is catnip for a certain breed of twee Francophile. Read more

Peter Keough, Boston Globe: Roinsard labors mightily to eke laughs and excitement out of '50s secretaries in Technicolor dresses, towering heels, and awkward hairdos hammering away at keyboards, with limited success. Read more

Andrea Gronvall, Chicago Reader: [A] sweet but slight homage to the 50s and 60s. Read more

Jordan Mintzer, Hollywood Reporter: Regis Roinsard's impressive debut is a love letter to 50s filmmaking, but one that lacks a real heart. Read more

Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times: The less seriously the genial French comedy "Populaire" takes itself, the more amusing it is. Fortunately, with small exceptions, this film doesn't take itself very seriously at all. Read more

Mark Jenkins, NPR: While Populaire would still have suffered from being overlong and overfamiliar, a smoother leading man could have done much to boost the intended Cary Grant vibe. Read more

Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: When things change to a rom-com template, things get slightly more rote, but in everything from film stock to (slightly overactive) score, "Populaire" is a nice shift to another time. Read more

Steven Rea, Philadelphia Inquirer: Even when there's tragedy around the turn, it doesn't matter. Populaire plays like a musical - you expect anyone, at any time, to break into song. Read more

Walter V. Addiego, San Francisco Chronicle: Is this remake really necessary? Maybe not, but to worry about that is to risk missing out on a lot of fun. Read more

Joe Williams, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: It's neatly formatted, but if there's a message in the margins of this manuscript, "Populaire" doesn't spell it out. Read more

Bruce Ingram, Chicago Sun-Times: [Populaire] does run through the expected paces with admirable style, with a glossy, Technicolor production design that sometimes makes it seem it might have been made in the '50s, not just set there. Read more

Christopher Orr, The Atlantic: A genial, knowing throwback-a reminder of that stylish, half-imaginary era that thrived in Hollywood before Mad Men came along and pickled it in gin. Read more

Cath Clarke, Time Out: It's tres chic and charming but a bit disappointing when you see where it's headed. Read more

Keith Uhlich, Time Out: That clack-clack-clacking sound you hear is the pressing of the keys by the millions of screenwriters who've come up with similar high-concept comedy templates. Read more

Jon Frosch, Village Voice: Roinsard's feature-length debut is visually sharp, with period design that's eye-catching without being fussy or fetishistic. Too bad there's not much going on beneath the surface. Read more

Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post: Roinsard, who wrote his feature debut with Daniel Presley and Romain Compingt, is unabashedly in love with cheesy, cornball sentiment, which he dusts off and polishes to a fair-thee-well. Read more