Coup de Chance

⭐️ ⭐️ 1/2 (out of 5)

At 87 years of age, Woody Allen continues to hone his craft and stretch his skills in the world of filmmaking. In a career with many awards and almost as many unfavourable news reports, the legendary director proves he will do all he can to keep his legacy alive. Interestingly, with over 60 films to his credit, he waited until he was an octogenarian to take on his first French language project with Coup De Chance (Translation: Stroke of Luck).

Set within the beauty of Paris, Fanny (Lou de Laâge) and Jean (Melvil Poupaud) live the life most people would envy. They move effortlessly amongst society's elite and seem to have a beautiful relationship accentuated by their wealthy lifestyle. One day, Fanny encounters her former high school classmate, Alain (Niels Schneider), who relishes their meeting and invites her to lunch. After this reunion of happenstance, the pair begin a passionate love affair that leads Jean to suspect that his wife has taken a lover. His investigative actions and the heated affair cause a series of events that expose the hearts of all involved and could put everyone’s life in jeopardy.

Allen has always been known for his witty repartee and ability to use language to work his way into the souls of his viewers. For his faithful followers, his dialogue-rich style is as familiar as his legendary glasses and appearance. Even when his words are put into other actors besides himself, the delivery and vernacular are quintessential Woody Allen. Yet, this trademark of the trade gets lost in translation when delivered in French. The humour and pacing struggle to hit their mark with the same level of effectiveness as his other works. Mainly as this film includes a dramatic thriller element that fails to establish the tension needed for the supposed genre.

As his first French-language film and one based on a secret love affair, there was an expectation that there would be a depth to the passion between the lead characters. Granted, Lou de Laâge, Melvil Poupaud, and Niels Schneider are beautiful people who will capture the eye of all watching the story progress. Yet, none of them manage to conjure up much passionate chemistry that would seem critical for this screenplay to be convincing. Despite the exquisite settings and enough wine to lubricate any tale of love, this descent into deception and revenge fails to garner any emotional commitment to make one care what happens to any of those in this love triangle.

Our hats off to the master as he takes on a new challenge at this stage in his career. Unfortunately, the point of Coup De Chance may have been lost in translation, and it is hard to imagine it will conjure up any luck at the box office for Allen and company.

REEL DIALOGUE: What does the Bible really say about marriage?

Some may think that the Bible does not have the answers to this question of marriage or adultery. Thankfully, God does not leave this question unanswered on both subjects. The Bible gives us direct answers to the question of protecting marriage. It is easy to find the answers. Despite never being married, Jesus even shares specific answers with people about the subject.

“Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, ‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’? So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate.” - Matthew 14:4-6

Marriage was God's idea and is a blessing to mankind. There is freedom within his paradigm, but God does have a paradigm. Anyone's opinion that differs from the Bible and/or Jesus' statement on marriage is merely their opinion. It puts them at odds with God's view of the matter. The Bible's answers are accessible to all for consideration, but the reader must choose what to believe.

If you would like to discuss marriage and God, reach out to us at Third Space. We would love to chat with you about this and more.