Marchand d'amour: A strange, dusty trip through old Paris

Is it worth the watch?

If you like movies that feel like they’ve been sitting in a damp basement for eighty years, then sure, go for it. People who love classic French cinema might find some charm here. Everyone else? You’ll probably be bored stiff by the third act.

It’s not a masterpiece. It’s not even really a 'good' movie by most standards. But it has this weird, frantic energy that I couldn't quite look away from. 📽️

The vibe

There’s a scene early on where the camera just... lingers. It stays on a doorway for way longer than necessary. I kept waiting for someone to walk through it, but no, just a blank wall and some dust motes. It felt strangely honest, like the director just forgot to yell cut.

The pacing is all over the map. One minute we’re in a high-stakes emotional confrontation, and the next we’re watching someone eat soup for an eternity. It’s jarring. I kind of liked it.

It’s nowhere near as polished as The Darling of Paris, which at least knew what it wanted to be. This one feels like it’s making it up as it goes along. It’s got that scrappy, desperate quality that old B-movies often have.

Odd bits and pieces

• The lighting in the cafe scene is hilariously moody. Everyone looks like they’re being interrogated by a flashlight.
• The dialogue is so clipped it sounds like they’re paying by the word.
• There’s a cat that wanders through a shot in the background. Nobody acknowledges it. I spent five minutes wondering where it went.

It reminds me a bit of the aimlessness in No Picnic, just with more hats and cigarettes. There’s no big 'lesson' here. Just people being messy. 🚬

I wouldn’t call it a classic. But it feels like a real movie, not a product. It’s uneven, it’s frustrating, and sometimes it’s just plain weird. If you’re tired of everything looking like a shiny, computer-generated toothpaste commercial, you might find this kind of rough-around-the-edges grit refreshing.

Don't look for deep meaning. It's just a bunch of people selling love in a city that doesn't care if they find it. A bit sad, really.