Déjà Vu — * * *1/2

Critic: Brandon Judell

In a mood for a little O. Henry? Then you're in luck. In this most whimsical of romances, auteur Henry Jaglom, has again created another of his unconventional opuses, one almost as satisfying as his perfect "Last Summer in the Hamptons."

For those unfamiliar with the work of Mr. Jaglom, he often takes a heartfelt subject such as women and food ("Eating") or women and their biological clock ("Babyfever"), and creates an entertaining chat fest. If a bit of plot somehow rears its head during the proceedings, so be it.

"Déjà Vu" commences in Jerusalem. Dana (Victoria Foyt), an American on the verge of marriage, is on business in the Holy City. While she's taking a break at an outdoor cafe, an older French woman (Aviva Marks) asks to join her. The two are soon discussing life and love, and the older lady tells of her one great romance. An American soldier she met during the war, promised to come back to her after he returned to the States to inform his folks of his intentions. THey never saw each other again, but she kept waiting. The antique ruby brooch she's wearing is a remnant of that affair. Would Dana like to try it on?

Dana does, but before the she can return the pin, the woman disappears. To the bathroom? For a walk? She doesn't know. But Dana does realize she has to return such an expensive, sentimental ornament to its original owner——and the woman did mention the hotel she's staying in in Paris.

Putting off a little longer her reunion with her finance Alex (Michael Brandon), who's awaiting her at some friends' country-style house in London, Dana heads to Paris, but with no luck. That hotel no longer exists.

So off she heads for her premarital honeymoon, but for some reason with a stop in Dover. There to capture a view of the famous cliffs, she meets Sean (Stephen Dillane), a painter. There is immediate kismet, instant amour, an insurmountable passion between them that is carried forth to Sean's studio. But Dana does have her fiancé in London, so off she goes ruefully while her new love is still asleep.

Like a tasteful farce, shortly after Dana arrives and is in the arms of Alex with a headache, Sean appears to join his wife who is also staying in that very same house. What a shock! Add the other inhabitants, both permanent and temporary-—Vanessa Redgrave, Rachel Kempson, Glynis Barber, Noel Harrison and Anna Massey—and you soon have the famous Jaglom chatter about existence and relationships and the roller coaster of desire.

The dialogue is witty, the performances are top-notch, and the coincidences boundless. Jaglom is not trying to recreate life here. He's trying to get at its essence, and he succeeds with great fun.



DIRECTOR/EDITOR: Henry Jaglom
CAST: Victoria Foyt, Stephen Dillane, Vanessa Redgrave, Glynis Barber, Michael Brandon, Vernon Dobtcheff, Graydon Gould, Noel Harrison, Aviva Marks, Anna Massey, Rachel Kempson
PRODUCER: John Goldstone
WRITERS: Henry Jaglom, Victoria Foyt
CO-PRODUCER: Judith Wolinsky
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Hanania Baer
ORIGINAL MUSIC: Gaili Schoen
SOUND: Tim Fraser
CASTING: Irene Lamb
COSTUME DESIGN: Rhona Russell


GENRE: Romantic comedy RUNNING TIME: 1:55 RATING: