COCKLES & MUSCLES

PECCADILLO PICTURES

RELEASED 14 April 2006

This French summer holiday sexual farce has more charm than I expected, with amusing characters and a general ‘joie de vivre’.

Marc (Gilbert Melki) and Béatrix (Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi) have taken their two children to the family summer home and are enjoying the good weather and lazy days on the beach. It isn’t long before secret lovers show up and general confusion breaks out.

Charming and relaxed just like the long summer holidays, ‘Cockles & Muscles’ contains enough Gallic goodwill to last the ninety-minute running time. There’s the odd surprise, sunny Côte d’azur scenery, and even a few musical numbers thrown in for good measure. And plenty of slammed doors!

THREE OUT OF FIVE