Le coeur dispose: A dusty, charming mess

Is it worth your time?

Honestly, only if you have a soft spot for 1930s French drawing-room antics. It’s light, a bit dusty, and moves at the speed of a snail in a tuxedo. If you hate movies where people just talk in high-ceilinged rooms about dowries and propriety, you’re going to be bored out of your mind.

The whole thing feels like a stage play that someone accidentally filmed. Everything takes place in these pristine rooms where everyone is constantly worried about their status. It reminded me a bit of the stuffy tension in Étienne, but with way more lace and fewer actual stakes.

Helene is supposed to be the prize, right? Her mother and grandmother are these absolute vultures picking out husbands for her. They treat her like a piece of furniture that needs to be redecorated. It’s exhausting to watch, even if it’s meant to be funny.

Small moments that stuck

There’s this one bit where someone is holding a teacup and they just hold it way too long. It’s not even a dramatic pause; it’s just awkward. I think the actor forgot what to do with their hands. ☕

The grandmother is a piece of work. She has this way of squinting at people that makes you feel like you’ve done something wrong, even though I’m just sitting on my couch eating toast. I found myself rooting for the secretary, Robert, just because he’s the only one not acting like a total peacock.

The dialogue is fast. Sometimes it’s a bit too fast, like they’re trying to finish the script before the film stock runs out. It doesn't have the grit you might find in something like The Barricade, but it has this weird, airy charm that I didn't hate.

The verdict, kind of

• The costumes are great, if you like that sort of thing.
• The music is mostly just there to tell you how to feel.
• Nobody seems to actually like each other, which is kind of the point, I guess.

I wouldn't call it a masterpiece. It’s just a little slice of life from a world that doesn't exist anymore. Sometimes that’s enough. Other times, you just want the movie to get on with the wedding so you can go to bed.

It’s not trying to be Resurrezione, that’s for sure. It’s just a goofy, slight, and strangely polite look at rich people being difficult. Watch it on a rainy Sunday when you don’t want to think too hard. Or don't. It probably won't change your life either way. 🤷‍♂️