Le Week-End

Directed by Roger Michell, Le Week-End follows aging British couple Nick (Jim Broadbent) and Meg (Lindsay Duncan) as they arrive in France with an eye toward rejuvenating their waning marriage. There’s little doubt that Le Week-End initially benefits from the authenticity of the central pair’s coupling, as it’s certainly not difficult to believe that Nick and Meg have been together for several decades – although, by that same token, the disdain Meg seems to feel for Nick makes it difficult to believe that they wouldn’t have divorced years earlier (ie there are moments where she actively seems to hate him). Scripter Hanif Kureishi offers up an aimless feel that immediately prevents the viewer from working up much interest in or sympathy for Nick and Meg’s exploits, with the hands-off vibe compounded by the actors’ penchant for whispering and mumbling their lines. (There is, for example, a seemingly important speech delivered by Duncan’s character that’s rendered incoherent by the actress’ impossible-to-discern delivery.) The lifeless atmosphere is temporarily alleviated by the welcome appearance of Jeff Goldblum in a supporting role, and yet even Goldblum, dynamic as he may be, ultimately can’t help but fall prey to Kureishi’s meandering screenplay (ie Goldblum is, like his costars, given little of interest to do here). And while the movie admittedly does boast an effective third-act sequence – Nick finally loses his cool and delivers a scathing speech during a polite dinner party – Le Week-End is nothing more than a forgettable trifle that continually squanders the efforts of its talented cast.

** out of ****