The List of My Desires

Let me start with performances. The leading actress performance was incredibly lifeless and boring. I don't remember ever seeing this actress in other movies therefore can't really conclude about her acting skills or talents or lack of it. The rest of the acting gang just followed her steps delivering very sad performances. The first part of the movie was just all OK. A seemingly intelligent woman had stayed with an abusive alcoholic for unknown reason. There was zero chemistry between 2 leading characters. 2 lifeless, emotionless and depressing zombies under one roof. The beach side lover story was just a joke. Pretty much every development in this film was boring, far-stretched and not believable. I could have written a better story about winning a lottery.

More a drama than a comedy, the strength of the film is the performance of Mathilde Seigner, who plays here a very ordinary middle class woman devoted to family and work who hides the abusiveness of her drunk husband. Her character portrays the situation of many women who stoically stand above troubled waters hiding the truth as they lack self esteem. But suddenly she is stricken by luck and all her fears come to surface. She has the chance to change her life but she hesitates. the film raises a good reflection about the opportunities that most of us let go because we doubt if we truly deserve a better life. Specially touching is the list of her very modest desires ( title of the film) that she notes down on her diary at the end of another day of work. Almost like an exercise for courage. Another interesting character is her daughter Nadine, who is a very mature child who seems to perceive reality way better than her mother does. Unfortunately the performance of Marc Levoine, who plays Jocelyne's husband was stereotypical and not at all convincing. Other films of the same genre like Shirley Valentine were a huge success because they were truly a comedy. and the character goes through a major change. Unfortunately this film is too much of a drama and the end is wishy washy.