Tell Me I’m Pretty (J’Me Sans Pas Belle) | Review

Low-key, directorial debut is a charmer.

In movie storyland first dates are always a wreak, and Bernard Jeanjean’s Tell Me I’m Pretty (J’Me Sans Pas Belle) certainly trots down that avenue, but while this is filled with the quirks of a staple French comedy it also delivers a sincere message in a mixture that includes plenty of anxiety and honesty. While the film characters literally strip down, Jeanjean strips just about everything else bare offering only two characters, one location – a bachelor’s apartment space and plenty of layers that eventually get removed and we are not just talking about clothing here.

An ode to being over 30 and single, this romantic comedy is not about first date jitters, it’s about disarming oneself and trusting others. Fitted with the personality of the hectic Parisian lifestyle, this amusingly works well because though they have inhibitions, the characters are presented in their entire narcissist splendor and come across as balanced and complete people – it’s nice to hear that a woman wants to get laid as well and its nice to see a vulnerable man in touch with his feminine side.

Presented through the eyes of the heroine, the dinner date at home with a college from work doesn’t get off to a fruitful start because of the barriers she creates without the need to and this is exactly the type of film that wouldn’t translate well as an American remake. One there isn’t a cute dog, secondly the male and female who headline the feature aren’t models from the Ford agency, thirdly there are more condoms in the film than most vending machines and finally because insecurities and unattractive people in romantic comedies don’t sell tickets.

With a satisfying economic runtime, there are some nice emotions that are shared onscreen, the comedy elements break the miniscule amounts of tension and the vibe of the film comes across as sincere, despite the fact that the protagonist has trouble telling the truth. Tell Me I’m Pretty describes the first-date experience with a certain credibility, and this factor is perhaps why the watch was such a pleasant one.

Rating 3 stars