Film review: 'Lost in Paris'

"Lost in Paris" is a refreshing new comedy, quite unlike most. It's farcical, whimsical and deliciously ridiculous. So be prepared to be caught off guard and perhaps fall into a state of uncontrollable giggling.

When Fiona (Fiona Gordon) receives a letter, found in the garbage, from her elderly Aunt Martha (a divine Emmanuelle Riva), who's living in Paris, she's on the next flight from Canada. Upon her arrival in the City of Light, we discover that she's an incredible klutz. She immediately falls into the Seine with her enormous backpack. When she is pulled from the water, Fiona is left with nothing but the clothes on her back.

As fate rears its hilarious head, Dom (Dominique Abel), a Chaplinesque homeless charmer, has found her belongings. In the pack, there's a nice yellow sweater, which he immediately dons, and a purse full of money. Delighted by his good fortune, Dom sets his sights on a fancy restaurant to swill Champagne and dine in style. When the music begins, he asks every female in the room to dance. Each of them declines, save one. Yes, it's Fiona. She accepts. They tango and the rest is not history — but rather a series of screwball scenarios and unlikely pairings.

This deliriously funny film is a collection of highly improbable, crazy coincidences. But who cares? The chemistry between Fiona, Dom and Aunt Martha is so utterly delightful, it's akin to a gift from the gods. But more accurately, it's the zany brainchild of Gordon and Abel, the husband and wife team who direct, script and star in (who also made "L'iceberg," "Rumba" and "The Fairy") this life-affirming cinematic coup. The physical comedy that is staged (sometimes borderline corny and slapstick) is unexpectedly brilliantly choreographed. A soft-shoe routine between Martha and a former lover, filmed from the knees down as they're seated on a park bench, is one of those rare moments in film that will remain in thoughts long after exiting the theater. 

"Lost in Paris" is an endearing exercise in movie making which celebrates life, love and simple pleasures. In the closing shot, Gordon and Abel's camera pans backward from the Statue of Liberty and the Eiffel Tower caught in one single frame. It's a pensive moment. And a welcome one of respite in our ever tumultuous world.