In an effort to convince his wife Christine (Kristin Scott Thomas) that nothing is going on behind her back, the cheating Pierre comes up with a plan that can't fail... or can it? Pierre pays both Francois and the mystery woman (Alice Taglioni) to pretend that they are together to get him off the hook. But Francois is in love with another who doesn't love him. What would he decide? On one hand, he is put into the position of living with a beautiful, rich model, but on the other hand, his heart still longs for his girl friend. The comedy ensues as the drama unfolds.
While I'm not opposed to watching foreign films, it is much more difficult to enjoy a comedy like The Valet when punchlines are delayed because of the need to read subtitles, making the delivery lose its effect entirely. With that said, there are some humorous moments in the film. The Valet is very European in nature, in that the type of humor may not appeal to everyone. This film is also very short (only 85 minutes long), and unfortunately is lacking when it comes to the bonus materials.
Had The Valet been dubbed in English, I would have likely enjoyed it more because at least then the delivery of comedic lines would have been more concise. As it is, if you know enough French to enjoy The Valet, you will likely get a chuckle. But for those who do not, it may take a couple of viewings to appreciate this motion picture because your eyes won't be glued to the bottom of the screen like they will be the first time through. The Valet is a fun comedy, but it's nothing that hasn't been done before, in that the storyline isn't all that original. Although renting/buying The Valet is a nice way to impress your French-speaking spouse, it's hard to recommend to the majority of our English-speaking readers.
