Priceless

2006

Priceless

Critics Consensus

Priceless is a light, farcical rom-com that features sharp performances from Audrey Tautou and Gad Elmaleh.

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Movie Info

A woman who has never had much trouble choosing between love or money tries to teach a man the tricks of the trade in this sly romantic comedy. Irène (Audrey Tautou) is an attractive thirtysomething woman who lives a comfortable life by taking up with older and very wealthy men. Irène is serving as arm candy for Jacques (Vernon Dobtcheff), who is twice her age and quite rich; Jacques takes Irène on a vacation to a resort in the French Riviera for her birthday, where she meets Jean (Gad Elmaleh), a handsome bartender at the hotel who works a variety of odd jobs to keep himself afloat. While Jacques spends Irène's birthday sound asleep, she ends up enjoying a romantic evening with Jean, until she discovers he's broke. A year later, Jacques and Irène return to the resort, and Jean discovers he still carries a torch for her. Irène is not so interested until Jacques decides he's had enough of her and breaks off their relationship; suddenly forced to fend for herself, Irène turns to Jean for help. Jean, meanwhile, has learned that Madeleine (Marie-Christine Adam), a handsome and very well-to-do widow in her sixties, has her eye on him and wishes to make Jean her kept man. Jean asks Irène to give him a crash course in the fine art of being a gigolo, while Irène tries to get back in the game by taking up with Gilles (Jacques Spiesser). Slowly but surely, Irène and Jean realize how much they care for one another, but can they get learn to live the good life without money?

Rating:

PG-13 (for sexual content including nudity)
Genre:

Art House & International, Comedy
Directed By:

Pierre Salvadori
Written By:

Pierre Salvadori, Benoît Graffin
In Theaters:

Nov 18, 2006 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Oct 30, 2007
Box Office:

$2,036,198
Runtime:

104 minutes
Studio:

Samuel Goldwyn Films

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Cast

Audrey Tautou
as Irène

Gad Elmaleh
as Jean

Marie-Christine Adam
as Madeleine

Vernon Dobtcheff
as Jacques

Jacques Spiesser
as Gilles

Annelise Hesme
as Agnès

Charlotte Vermeil
as Woman with Chihuahua

Didier Brice
as François

Claudine Baschet
as Woman with Mastiff

Blandine Pélissier
as Maid

Philippe Vendan-Borin
as Waiter at Biarritz Restaurant

Bernard Bourdeau
as Jean's Colleague at Biarritz

Frédéric Bocquet
as Receptionist Monaco

Jean-Michel Lahmi
as Plastic Surgeon

Guillaume Verdier
as Pool Waiter

Laurent Claret
as Bartender at Biarritz

Jean de Coninck
as Man With Cigar

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Critic Reviews for Priceless

All Critics (74) | Top Critics (21) | DVD (4)

There's no froth like French froth. And few French-froth-purveyors are as adept as Pierre Salvadori.

Oct 18, 2008 | Rating: B+

Noel Murray
AV Club
Top Critic
[A] gruesomely unfunny and tacky comedy-farce.

Oct 18, 2008 | Rating: 1/5 | Full Review…

Peter Bradshaw
Guardian
Top Critic
A pleasant little piece of puffy French pastry reminiscent of many other pleasant little pieces of puffy French pastry.

May 2, 2008 | Rating: B- | Full Review…

Tom Long
Detroit News
Top Critic
Priceless is a Hollywood remake waiting to happen. It's almost guaranteed.

Apr 24, 2008 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Richard Nilsen
Arizona Republic
Top Critic
Bittersweet comedy's perfectly chosen multigenerational cast ably demonstrates that if money can't buy love, it sure can purchase lots of obsequious service from four-star hotel staffers and costly goodies from laughably pricey boutiques.

Apr 18, 2008

Lisa Nesselson
Variety
Top Critic
Pierre Salvadori's delightful comedy, picturesquely set in a series of posh hotels on the French Riviera, throws together two terrific comic actors and an irresistible premise.

Apr 18, 2008 | Rating: 3.5/4

Moira MacDonald
Seattle Times
Top Critic
As entertaining as the young lovers are, the most compelling character in Priceless is the widow Madeleine, played to sophisticated perfection by Anne-Christine Adam.

Aug 25, 2018 | Full Review…

Marcianne Miller
Bold Life (Hendersonville, NC)
Though a light, predictable confection, the delicious chemistry and rising tension make Priceless an irresistible treat.

Nov 7, 2016 | Full Review…

Brandy McDonnell
The Oklahoman
Pierre Salvadori's deceptively sunny romantic comedy insinuates its point of view steadily, amidst great glamour and breeziness, only to reveal itself as a meditation on, dare we say it, capitalism.

Apr 28, 2011 | Full Review…

Kelly Vance
East Bay Express
Priceless is as shallow as its characters.

Nov 27, 2008 | Rating: 2.5/5 | Full Review…

David Cornelius
DVDTalk.com
A supremely satisfying confection -- a French romantic comedy of the sort that ends with you standing outside the theatre with a dopey grin on your face.

Oct 18, 2008 | Rating: 3.5/5 | Full Review…

Marc Savlov
Austin Chronicle
Hugely enjoyable, utterly charming French romcom with a terrific script and fantastic performances from its two leads.

Oct 18, 2008 | Rating: 4/5 | Full Review…

Matthew Turner
ViewLondon

View All Critic Reviews (74)

Audience Reviews for Priceless

Mar 25, 2012

Not a bad movie thanks to Audrey and Gad being solid performars, with Gad, in particular, having some funny facial expressions. But this movie really didn't do anything at all for me. I think part of me has definitely been spoiled by The Names of Love which, even with its faults, was probably among the best and most inventive romantic comedy I've seen in years. This is obviously my own fault and not really the fault of the movie as it does have a charm about it (most probably the fact that it's French) but at the same time, this movie could've been better. And it's also too light for my tastes. The movie also tends to drag a lot in the middle, which should be expected. Again it's not a bad movie, I'd say it's even solid but I wasn't a big fan.

Jesse O Super Reviewer
Mar 15, 2011

Charming, enjoyable, cute...made me smile. A romantic comedy with a few twists. Quite a few things that I thought would be predictable in this romantic comedy, turned out the other way. Both leads are charming, and they draw you in. The gorgeous scenery does not hurt either.

Cynthia S Super Reviewer
Sep 27, 2010

Spirited, charming, and funny path to romance you've probably not seen before. Material Girl gold-digging Tautou sleeps with and then wins the devotion of waiter Elmaleh thinking he's rich, appalled when she learns the truth and he spends the rest of the running time trying to win her back over, in the process becoming something of a gigolo himself! Only the French could concoct such a scenario that works. Never seen Elmaleh before and he's terrific, which goes double for the radiant Tautou yet again. Alors, comment je t'aime! The costume designer should have won an Oscar, or Golden Globe, or a Cesar, or at the very least a High Five for putting her in such an array of lovely low-cut couture. Good slightly slutty fun.

Doctor S Super Reviewer
Jul 22, 2010

Another Audrey Tautou win. VERY funny, and surprising. I've never seen Gad in anything, but he was amazingly cute and uncomposed. SO funny and original.

Spencer S Super Reviewer