The stars are cute, but this was pathetic. Sorry i wasted my time.

Audrey Tatou is stunning, giving a complex performance as the sexy, conniving, vulnerable and ready to love Irène. The character is a gold-digger reminiscent of that other Audrey, Hepburn, in Breakfast at Tiffany's, and Priceless manages to achieve the same tension of elegance and decadence, playful banter and fraught undertones. There is something very dark about the scene where Irène, dumped by her latest rich beau, and left literally with only the bikini she has on, sits shivering at poolside while the sun sets and the place chances from bathers to dinner jackets. In an instant she goes from queen of her arena to a spectator. It is a complex tone shift few Hollywood (or British) rom-coms manage to attempt, never mind pull off.Gad Elmaleh as Jean is perfectly love-struck and versatile. Strong support comes from Marie-Christine Adam as the hard but equally self-deluding Madeleine, and Vernon Dobtcheff as Irène's first victim, Jacques. There is something quite grown-up and yet naively innocent about this film, with characters who can do the most awful things but never enough to stop you caring about them. Vivid colour palette, and slickly shot, the music works well, too. Well worth seeing.

Audrey Tautou, the sweetheart of France (and, to me, the rest of the world), returns to the romantic comedy in 'Hors de Prix' aka 'Priceless,' a film by Pierre Salvadori ('Après vous...' (2003)).Tautou plays a different type of role (in the same type of film) as swindler Irène who uses her sexuality to make men keep her satisfied (materialistically). Her plans go awry when she's left by her rich fiancé and runs to the arms of whom she assumes is a rich business man, Jean (Gad Elmaleh). Unfortunately for Irène, however, Jean is merely a hotel worker who just happened to be at the right place at the right time.Surprisingly (as she's regularly one of the most attractive women in the world), Audrey looks better than ever. Not only does she have her typical 'adorable' going for her, but here she's extremely sexy as well.The story is charming and cute, but has a bit of a bite to it. It's questionable as to exactly WHY Jean would like Irène so much with as cruel as she is. . . sure, she's drop-dead gorgeous, but Jean didn't really seem, to me, the type that would fall for something like that. Oh well, can't have everything spoonfed to us and we must take it as given. There are many laugh-out-loud moments, mostly from Jean's awkwardness playing off Irène's smoothness. And it all turns out to be a very pleasant & entertaining romantic comedy that's sure to treat fans of the genre well.Final Verdict: 8/10.-AP3-

PRICELESS ( Hors de Prix) manages to puff along on its rather slim story line and keep the audience interested primarily due to the presence of Audrey Tautou. Though the script by Benoît Graffin and Pierre Salvador is loaded with good lines and despite the fact that director Pierre Salvadori manages to keep the appearance of the film full of glossy fun, the story thins after the first hour and pleads for some tighter editing. The location is the French Riviera and the action takes place in the elegant Biarritz Hotel where we discover Irène (Audrey Tautou) as a gold digger whose career focus is finding a man of wealth who can support her expensive tastes. Tautou has never looked more glamorous than she does here and we can understand why the sugar daddies of the world vie for her attention. While preparing for her birthday celebration, Irène takes too long dressing and her current paramour falls asleep. Not wanting to be alone on her special day she goes in all her resplendent glory to the hotel bar. There she meets Jean (Gad Elmaleh) who happens to be the bartender and hotel employee but who Irène mistakes for a man of wealth. Their mutual attraction, despite the mismatch of perceptions, results in a wild night of love - Jean being careful not to allow Irène to know of his true status as a poor worker. A year passes and the two meet again under similar circumstances and as the true identities are unveiled Irène teaches Jean how to be a gigolo, only to have the tables turn in a predictable way. This is a bit of French fluff and goes on far too long, but there is Tautou on the screen, beautiful and buoyant and irresistible - and that makes up for a lot. In French with English subtitles. Grady Harp