"LE DIVORCE"
(2003) (Kate Hudson, Naomi Watts) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Moderate	Mild	Extreme	Mild	Mild
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Mild	None	Minor	None	Moderate
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	Mild	Heavy	Moderate	*Mild

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QUICK TAKE:

Drama: Two American sisters discover that intercontinental love, sex and divorce are more complicated than they imagined.

PLOT:

American Isabel Walker (KATE HUDSON) has arrived in Paris to see her pregnant half-sister and poet, Roxeanne de Persand (NAOMI WATTS). Just as Isabel arrives, however, Roxeanne's painter husband, Charles-Henri (MELVIL POUPAUD), is leaving. He's fully intent on divorcing his wife for Magda Tellman (RONA HARTNER), a Russian whose American husband (MATTHEW MODINE) is none too happy about this development.

Things become more complicated when Charles-Henri decides he wants half of their joint property that, according to him, includes a Walker family painting. That eventually brings in art experts Julia Manchevering (BEBE NEUWIRTH) and then Piers Janely (STEPHEN FRY) who try to determine whether the painting is by a famous artist and thus worth a great deal of money.

In the meantime, Isabel gets a job working for American author Olivia Pace (GLENN CLOSE) who's preparing to move back to the States. She introduces Isabel to her house painter and fellow social worker, Yves (ROMAIN DURIS), while also setting up Roxeanne with a lawyer, Maître Bertram (JEAN-MARC BARR), who will help her in the pending divorce proceedings.

At the same time, Isabel agrees to become a mistress to Edgar Cosset (THIERRY LHERMITTE), a married French diplomat who once was Olivia's lover and is Charles-Henri's uncle. That doesn't sit well with his sister, Suzanne (LESLIE CARON), who otherwise seems to enjoy watching the Americans squirm, including when the sisters' parents, Chester (SAM WATERSTON) and Margeeve (STOCKARD CHANNING) and brother Roger (THOMAS LENNON), suddenly show up.

With Isabel dealing with her relationships with Edgar and Yves, Tellman becoming increasingly edgy over his wife running off with another man, and Roxeanne trying to deal with her pending divorce, the American sisters learn that intercontinental romance is more complicated than they ever imagined.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

Unless they're fans of someone in the cast or Merchant-Ivory productions, it doesn't seem that any but some older teenagers might be interested in this one.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13

For mature thematic elements and sexual content.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

KATE HUDSON plays a carefree American who travels to France to visit her sister and ends up involved (and sleeping) with several French men. She briefly uses some profanity.

NAOMI WATTS plays her pregnant half-sister and poet who's reeling from her French's husband's decision to leave her for another woman. She tries to commit suicide in one scene.

MELVIL POUPAUD plays her French husband who blames her for all of their problems despite him being the one running off with another person. He also tries to profit from her family's painting.

THIERRY LHERMITTE plays a married French diplomat who proposes that Isabel become his mistress.

GLENN CLOSE plays an American author and friend of Roxeanne's who employs Isabel and gives both women advice about men and romance (based on her own experience).

LESLIE CARON plays Charles-Henri's wealthy mother who still has her in-laws over for Sunday lunch but seems to enjoy watching them suffer.

MATTHEW MODINE plays an American who blames his failed marriage on Roxeanne (since her husband ran off with his wife). He becomes increasingly edgy and unhinged as the story unfolds.

SAM WATERSTON and STOCKARD CHANNING play the sisters' parents who are concerned about their daughters' happiness.

THOMAS LENNON plays the sisters' brother who wants to make sure that the family painting stays in the family.

ROMAIN DURIS plays a friend of Olivia's who sleeps with Isabel.

BEBE NEUWIRTH and STEPHEN FRY play art experts who try to determine if the family painting is the real thing.

JEAN-MARC BARR plays the lawyer who agrees to help Roxeanne with her divorce problem.

RONA HARTNER plays Tellman's Russian wife who runs off with Charles-Henri.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

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OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

Here's a brief summary of the content found in this PG-13-rated drama. Profanity consists of several "s" words and a few slang terms for sex, while a handful of other expletives and colorful phrases are also used. Some sexually related dialogue is present, while some couples are seen fooling around and/or getting ready for implied and/or off-screen sex. A woman is seen in some revealing attire.

A person is murdered off camera, we see the failed (and slightly bloody) results of a suicide attempt (by a pregnant woman) and a deranged man takes a few people hostage at gunpoint. He and others (including those having affairs) have varying degrees of bad attitudes, and a heavy amount of tense family material (regarding a divorce and other cheating) is present.

Meanwhile, various characters drink and/or smoke. Should you still be concerned about the film's appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home, you may want to look more closely at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

Various people have wine with lunch.

Charles-Henri has a beer in front of him.

Olivia and Isabel order drinks.

Olivia and others have champagne.

Yves and Isabel have champagne.

Isabel asks Yves about why a woman is in jail and wonders if it's for drugs (it isn't).

Edgar and Isabel have wine with a meal as do others. Later, they have wine on the table for another meal.

Isabel and Yves have drinks in a club.

Edgar and Isabel have drinks.

Some champagne is ordered to go along with a meal, and Roxeanne intends to have some (saying that French doctors say it's okay for a pregnant woman).

Miscellaneous people have wine.

Various family members have wine with a meal.

Edgar and Isabel have wine.

A French cop states that all Americans kill for is drugs or money.

BLOOD/GORE

We see Roxeanne who's unconscious and with blood on her arm (from a suicide attempt that would have killed her and her unborn baby). She's later okay.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

Roxeanne's husband leaves her and their child (for another woman) and keeps blaming Roxeanne for all of their problems.

Regarding abortion issues, we hear that Edgar opposes abortion. Roxeanne (who's pregnant) later states that she's not sure she wants to bring a child into a broken home. She later states that she made such an abortion suggestion only to shock her mother-in-law.

Tellman takes a woman's umbrella; tells a woman, "Don't be another dumb American bitch," and pesters, blames and essentially stalks Roxeanne about his wife running off with her husband.

Edgar tells Isabel that they must decide if she'll become his mistress. He states that he long ago gave up trying to lure young women into his room under false pretenses. She agrees to his proposal.

We see that Roxeanne tried to kill herself and thus her unborn baby as well. Both are okay.

We hear that a man shot at his wife and that another person was killed.

Edgar dumps Isabel, stating he's too old for her.

FRIGHTENING SCENES

We see Roxeanne who's unconscious and with blood on her arm (from a suicide attempt that would have killed her and her unborn baby). She's later okay.

We see the feet of a dead man sticking out of a dumpster (no blood).

A deranged man races after others up the Eiffel Tower and eventually but only briefly takes them hostage at gunpoint. He accidentally fires a shot into the air, but then gives up.

GUNS/WEAPONS

We hear that a man shot at his wife and that another person was killed (but we don't see the gun or act).

Handgun: Used by a deranged man who briefly takes others hostage at gunpoint. He accidentally fires a shot into the air, but then gives up.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "He's just being a terrible sh*t," "You then are being a terrible sh*t," "Bastard," "To hell with..." "Slut," "Don't be another dumb American bitch" and "Kicking like hell."

Isabel wears a midriff-revealing top.

JUMP SCENES

None.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

We hear some suspenseful music coming from a movie playing on TV.

There's a little bit of additional suspenseful music in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

None.

PROFANITY

At least 2 "s" words, 2 slang terms for sex ("screw/screwing"), 2 hells, 1 crap, 4 uses of "Oh my God" and 3 of "God."

SEX/NUDITY

A man tells Roxeanne that an old saying states that asparagus is bad for human reproduction.

A woman asks Isabel about an American senator and his diary of sexual exploits.

Roxeanne asks why adultery and fornication are treated as jokes.

After Olivia tells Yves to show Isabel the "real Paris," we see Yves and Isabel in bed where they briefly playfully wrestle. He's shirtless, she's in a tank-top and panties (we only briefly see part of latter) and thus sex or at least some fooling around is implied.

A comment is made that 11,000 virgins were martyred by a patron saint.

We hear that Roxeanne was pregnant before marrying Charles-Henri.

Edgar tells Isabel that they must decide if she'll become his mistress. He states that he long ago gave up trying to lure young women into his room under false pretenses. He then says that he desires her, she asks when they should begin and he replies now.

We see some revealing lingerie on partial mannequins in a clothing store as Isabel goes shopping for that to wear for Edgar.

After receiving an expensive purse from Edgar, Isabel tells Roxeanne, "I did someone a favor" (innuendo).

Edgar and Isabel do some passionate kissing (clothed) in a stairwell and then in a room where there's accompanying heavy breathing. She begins to undress him but he has her slow down and then zips up his zipper as he walks off (we see her in a lingerie-type top beneath her partially opened shirt). We later see her in a bra, panties and garters (in an open robe that shows cleavage, part of the side of her bare butt and lots of leg) and sex is then implied as we later see both of them in robes on a bed. Edgar then tells her about something that's to be drunk before making love.

Suzanne tells Isabel that the current family problems are the wages of sin (meaning adultery).

Isabel tells Edgar that he goes on TV and talks about religion, morality and sex.

Tellman tells Roxeanne that Magda (his wife) is "screwing your husband." He then adds, "We can screw each other" (which prompts her to hit him with her bag).

We see what might be a drawing of a nipple on part of the cover of a book.

Isabel talks about the painting of St. Ursula hanging above their family couch and disapproving of whatever they wanted to do on it (meaning sexual).

We see Edgar and Isabel in robes again (thus suggesting sex).

Roxeanne kisses Bertram (briefly).

Yves is shirtless in bed with Isabel and they briefly kiss. There's a comment that a phrase about taking a foot means having fun in bed.

SMOKING

Charles-Henri, Isabel and Charlotte each smoke several times, while Roger and Yves each smoke once, Edgar has an unlit cigar, and some miscellaneous people smoke.

We see cigarette smoke in a cartoon drawing.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

Roxeanne's husband leaves her and their child (for another woman), there's talk of a pre-nuptial agreement and material regarding division of their property. Charles-Henri keeps blaming Roxeanne for all of their problems.

Roxeanne learns that she must wait until the birth of her child before she can remarry, but that her husband can do so right after the divorce.

Edgar cheats on his wife with Isabel.

Roxeanne's mother-in-law tells Isabel that the current family problems are the wages of sin (meaning adultery).

Tellman is upset that his wife is running off with Charles-Henri.

We hear that a man shot at his wife and that another person was killed.

A woman learns that her estranged husband is dead.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

Divorces and their effects on family members.

The differences between Americans and the French.

Roxeanne asks why adultery and fornication are treated as jokes.

Abortion (there's some brief talk about that).

There's talk of a pre-nuptial agreement.

Roxeanne learns that she must wait until the birth of her child before she can remarry, but that her husband can do so right after the divorce.

We hear that Roxeanne was pregnant before marrying Charles-Henri.

Edgar suggesting and Isabel agreeing to be his mistress.

Suzanne tells Isabel that the current family problems are the wages of sin (meaning adultery).

We see Roxeanne who's unconscious and with blood on her arm (from a suicide attempt that would have killed her and her unborn baby). She's later okay.

VIOLENCE

Some men manhandle Tellman as they escort him from a poetry reading he's crashed.

Roxeanne hits Tellman with her bag after he propositions her.

We see Roxeanne who's unconscious and with blood on her arm (from a suicide attempt that would have killed her and her unborn baby). She's later okay.

We hear that a man shot at his wife and that another person was killed. We then see the feet of a dead man sticking out of a dumpster (no blood).

A deranged man races after others up the Eiffel Tower and eventually but only briefly takes them hostage at gunpoint. He accidentally fires a shot into the air, but then gives up.

Reviewed July 28, 2003 / Posted August 6, 2003

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