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5.3/10
Senior Film Conservator
A definitive 5.3/10 rating for a film that redefined the boundaries of cult cinema. Tout pour l'amour remains a cornerstone of transgressive art.
If you like your movies light, operatic, and slightly desperate for your attention, Tout pour l'amour is fine. It’s definitely not for the people who need a complex plot or realistic human interactions. If you hate old-school musicals where everyone acts like they are on a stage even when they are buying groceries, you’re going to have a bad time.
Jan Kiepura plays the tenor, and boy, does he know it. He spends half the movie acting like the room is smaller just because he’s standing in it. It’s the kind of ego that’s almost impressive.
The whole thing revolves around a guy who is about to marry his lead girl, only for a professional singer to waltz in and turn everything upside down. It’s classic stuff. A bit tired, honestly.
There is a scene where the director is trying to hold his composure while his whole life falls apart. It’s oddly funny because he just keeps adjusting his bowtie. He looks like he’s about to pop a blood vessel, but he’s still worried about the curtain call.
It’s not as chaotic as The Gate Crasher, but it has a similar sense of "let’s just keep moving so nobody notices the holes in the script."
The movie doesn't really have a big point to make. It just wants to get to the next song. Sometimes that’s enough. Other times, I found myself staring at the wallpaper in the background. It’s very ornate wallpaper. 🎭
I suppose if you’ve exhausted your list of better films, this is a decent way to kill an afternoon. Just don't ask it to do any heavy lifting regarding your emotions. It’s all surface, all the time.