Poor Adam, nicknamed Tortu, can't catch a break. He loses two jobs within the space of several months and his apartment. Despite having two men in his life who want to help (as well as sleep with) him, he decides he might be better off with his French great-uncle in an admittedly pretty village. The latter has been embroiled in a long-running feud with another expatriate (perhaps an ex-lover?), who dies early on and leaves his sprawling estate to his handsome son. This sets up the romance which forms the bulk of this slender, agreeable film. Tortu's main virtue is that it frequently seems like real life, where characters face life choices whose consequences aren't clear. Making one choice doesn't necessarily lead to perfect happiness, nor does making another result in inevitable disaster. This ambiguity, combined with a leisurely pace and a fair amount of untranslated French dialogue, will no doubt drive some viewers crazy. Others will enjoy copious shots of the beautiful French countryside and the understated, finely shaded performances of the cast, particularly Daniel Tararre as the crusty great uncle. As jowly and wrinkly as Walter Matthau, he succeeds in creating a complete character without a whole lot to work with.
Review of Tortu
