As someone who, swimming against the tide, doesn’t care much for french comedies, imagine my surprise to find “Heartbreaker” so damn entertaining. Here’s a movie that starts in your face, and surprisingly, keeps coming at you. That’s a good thing. It stars talented actor Romain Duris as a guy who gets paid to break up couples by any means necessary (an example of that is the hilarious opening scene) with the help of his flamboyant sister (Julie Ferrier) and her half-wit husband (a very funny François Damiens). Alex’s cynical attitude to love is questioned when he’s employed to break up the marriage of Juliette (Vanessa Paradis) to a seemingly perfect Brit. Admittedly, what the makers of “Hearbreaker” want you to know is that they can take an all too familiar Hollywood plot, and turn it into something clever and memorable. It made me smile, and even laugh out loud. In fact, it gave me more pleasure than any aliens, robots, or superheroes (sorry “Green Lantern”) have all year. That’s because it’s doggedly offbeat and completely original. It’s my idea of fresh, stimulating entertainment for grownups…and it earns its 3 star rating honestly. French title: L’arnacoeur.

Rating: 3/4