Roman de Gare: Magical Mystery

A popular novelist is discussing her latest bestseller on TV. A dysfunctional couple is in the middle of a breakup and she (Huguette) is ditched by her fiancé at a gas station. A nerdy, shy man offers to help our damsel in distress. A suburban school teacher has skipped out on his wife and children. But wait — there’s a vicious serial killer on the loose who preys on young girls enticing them with magic tricks! Such is the way the film opens and the stage is set for an intricate plot that is full of twists and turns until the very end — which is what makes for great entertainment.

Just who are these people and how do their lives intersect with one another? The title of the film refers to the title of a novel written by our best-selling novelist, Judith Ralitzer (Fanny Ardant): "Roman de Gare.” In French, this literally means "Railroad Station Novel.” One of the English titles that has been used is "Crossed Tracks.” "Roman de Gare” seems to refer to the intersection of many lives, as paths cross in railroad stations. While this theme of crossing paths is not new, there is always room for a fresh approach to the many coincidences in life, and the chance meetings that change our lives forever in so many intricate ways.

There is another interesting facet to this story — it involves a novelist, her ghostwriter, and how novels are derived from real life. Then the question becomes, just what is real and what is not? In this case, we are also asking ourselves who is the real writer. Ghost writing is in and of itself another topic that most people don’t think about. How does the ghost writer feel about being the actual writer, but staying behind the scenes, getting no recognition for his or her talent? Where do the ideas come from? Just how long can a ghost writer be satisfied with a shadow-like existence? This aspect makes "Roman de Gare” even more fun, as it can be compared to a "story within a story” technique often used in plays.

"Roman de Gare” is fast-paced, engaging; sometimes laugh out loud funny and unmistakably French (which, for this Francophile is a definite plus). Dominique Pinon (Pierre Laclos) and two the leading ladies, Ardant and Audrey Dana (Huguette) are well-cast and give solid performances, particularly that of Pinon, as his character is pivotal and the most complex.

If you like French films, if you like mysteries and want to have a really good time, see this film, You’ll leave the theater smiling, which is after all one of the main reasons we go to the movies, isn’t it?

Eve Visconti is a writer and longtime movie buff who lives in Foster City.