Memorable, crazy movie

Masterful Movie

It's hard to see any effort in the film. There's no comedy to speak of, no real drama and, worst of all.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties. It's a feast for the eyes. But what really makes this dramedy work is the acting.

This film has a simple and basic premise – the townsfolk want to obtain a doctor and keep him in their remote village. Unfortunately this tale just drags on for much too long and becomes very predictable after 30 minutes and after an hour it just gets boring. There is simply not enough in this story to keep one engaged.The jokes are few and far between and become mundane. The theme of the remoteness of the village becomes strained and repetitive. The characters run their course in the first half and nothing much is developed in story or characters after. There is a fading in the last half and sleepiness ensues.

When I got this film home with it's English title of Seducing Dr Lewis, I was unaware that it was subtitled. (Didn't say anywhere on the DVD sleeve and even the shop owners were unaware).However, within minutes of watching, I was hooked. The plot may seem predictable but the film is immensely enjoyable and you soon forget it's subtitled. There is a gentle humour and a great feel about the location.It is set in the Quebec area of Canada and filmed on a small island which was once a thriving fishing village. The plot revolves around the need to replace the old industry to revitalise the town.Very enjoyable. One for a quiet night in.

Usually we think of "seduction" as something sexual, but there is nothing sexual about the seduction being attempted here. Filmed in and around Harrington Harbour Island, Québec, Canada, this small fishing town of about 100 residents has gone very stale. The people are good people, but there are no jobs and most of them live off welfare checks. As the town mayor says near the end of the movie, "The money lasts for two weeks, but the humiliation lasts for a month." They have a chance to get a new factory located there, but with a few catches. The biggest hurdle seems to be getting a full-time doctor of the tiny island. Another is to convince the business guys that the small town really has over 200 people. This is a very inventive and entertaining movie, all the characters seem real.SPOILERS. One of the townsmen moves to the mainland to get a job as a police officer. In a routine stop he finds a drug on a man, who happens to be a doctor (plastic surgeon), and wittingly sends him to the small island for a month, alerting the mayor beforehand. They plan to seduce him into staying on so they can get the factory. They find out he likes cricket, so they read up, make uniforms, chalk out a field, and arrange to be playing cricket as the ferry boat brings him to the town. The only problem, they don't really know how to play cricket but they fool the doctor into believing they are cricket fans. During the month they tap his phone and two ladies record everything. They find out he eventually breaks up with his girlfriend, so he is free to stay. There is also a side issue with the contractor needing a $50,000 bribe. There is the frozen fish the doctor catches. The town meetings in the church. The townspeople moving from building to building to make the contractor think there are over 200 people in town. The charade eventually comes to light, the doctor is angry, but in the end agrees to stay on, the factory is built, making plastic household items, the last scene shows all the townspeople coming home after a full day at work, and an opening refrigerator is full of plastic containers of various food items.

As un maudit anglais (apologies for any attrocious spelling to my Québecois brethren), I recommend this film highly. I had the pleasure of meeting the director, Jean-François Pouliot, on a shuttle bus from Salt Lake City to Park City, Utah during the 2004 Sundance Festival and what I find truly remarkable about him is just how down-to-earth he was as if he hadn't done anything particularly remarkable. This even though the film had already opened in Toronto (and elsewhere) to warm reviews. The film's been well received wherever it's been shown though, like many Québecois films, will be most treasured by the people who best understand the linguistic subtleties that don't necessarily translate to English. I haven't had a chance to check out any of his previous works but will be eagerly waiting for his next directorial outing.