Can someone change the tag so the right leading actor can receive all the credit?
64 Reviews
Julio/Jules should be Marc Ruchmann
hkgrtse037 April 2020
First series is a solid 7.5 Second is a 2.
jennifercader86 December 2019
Don't watch the dubbed version, it's painful and unnecessary. Read the subtitles, it isn't that hard. First season is genuinely funny, endearing and surprising. I think the writers in second series gave up and forgot to actually care about the characters they had given such richness to. Pretend the second series doesn't exist. I made it to episode 2 and I was just angry and the ridiculously forced situations and hollow storylines. Do watch Call My Agent. That's good all the way through.
An invigorating series
FrenchEddieFelson29 July 2019
Elsa (Zita Hanrot) has just left her darling after discovering he has an affair. When she also uncovers that they will soon be married, it is then total depression. She completely loses her self-confidence and becomes a real wreck. Her two best friends are Émilie (Joséphine Draï) who is a stifling and irritating woman and Charlotte (Sabrina Ouazani) who is a hot and sexy woman despite her voice of Mike Tyson. These two friends will have the idea as wacky as ludicrous to hire Jules, a handsome man (Marc Ruchmann) who will play the role of a male prostitute (this is actually his everyday job) without Elsa being aware of the trickery, so that she may regain confidence in herself. And what was to happen ... will happen!
It's invigorating and well played, especially with Zita Hanrot who is excellent, as usual. If you liked her in this role as depressive as irresistible, I recommend you one of her first films Fatima (2015) and one of her last La vie scolaire (2019) that I already saw early July, in preview. In addition, Paris is well highlighted, between the Hôtel de ville and the Île Saint-Louis.
As a synthesis, 6/7 of 10
It's invigorating and well played, especially with Zita Hanrot who is excellent, as usual. If you liked her in this role as depressive as irresistible, I recommend you one of her first films Fatima (2015) and one of her last La vie scolaire (2019) that I already saw early July, in preview. In addition, Paris is well highlighted, between the Hôtel de ville and the Île Saint-Louis.
As a synthesis, 6/7 of 10
why there had to be a second season?
burhan-tursoy19 October 2019
The term "leave at the top" should be written on the walls of producers of every succesful tv series or movies...the first season was cheerful, it had a story to tell... and the end was ... whatever your imagination liked it to be...
But they had to make another season.... had to make up forced storylines.... and spoil the fun.... i watched the second season out of respect for the first... but u don't need to...
But they had to make another season.... had to make up forced storylines.... and spoil the fun.... i watched the second season out of respect for the first... but u don't need to...
Fun to watch
majoq8 March 2022
The first season is hilarious.
The second not so much.
And the third is a mixture between one and two.
There are characters that we love to hate, and simply love watching.
The group of friends sometimes are nuts and sometimes are loveable.
Who doesn't have a group of friends like that!?
I enjoyed it a lot!! Paris!! Didn't know there's street called "Buenos Aires"!!!
Watch it. You won't regret it.
The second not so much.
And the third is a mixture between one and two.
There are characters that we love to hate, and simply love watching.
The group of friends sometimes are nuts and sometimes are loveable.
Who doesn't have a group of friends like that!?
I enjoyed it a lot!! Paris!! Didn't know there's street called "Buenos Aires"!!!
Watch it. You won't regret it.
Do not watch it in English
myotherpetisdog12 October 2019
I watched it in original French, with English subtitles. It makes HUGE difference in perception.
Generations B and X would hate it, Generation Y might like it. Generation Z would easily get hooked.
The way it starts, Episode 1, is a put off. But if you stick, it gets better. Season 1 was much better than Season 2-lots of silliness that I didn't like. Season 1-7 stars, Season 2-5 stars.
Acting was great, as expected from French Cinema. Sabrina Ouazani' voice is quite unique. Overall it is entertaining, humor is sharp and I don't agree with those who say it is full of cliches.
Fun and entertaining!
msbecca0013 December 2018
This was a fun, heartfelt and cute story about friendship, trust and unconventional love. One thing I appreciated was that the side characters weren't just empty shells, whose only purpose is for the main characters to have someone to rant to. No, they had their own smaller plots, with their own problems and quirks.
Honestly, my biggest problems with it were the tropes and the clichés, but hey it's a rom-com series so what else can you expect? Also, the main character Elsa is a little bit annoying but it doesn't matter really because the writing, acting and storyline is very good. It kept me hooked all the way through! I'm not a person who binge-watches shows (because I have a very short attention span) but I finished Plan Coeur in 1 day! I definitely recommend it, it's a very cute, entertaining and fun show.
1st season was superb, 2nd not so much
Boxer_00725 December 2018
I initially gave 9 stars as SEASON 1 of The Hook Up Plan was a pleasant surprise. Witty, intelligent, and enjoyable. Excellent acting and far more believable than your typical romantic-comedy type TV show. Characters were multidimensional, episodes were coherent, soundtrack was good, and the Parisian scenery is always a delight to look at. The fact that I laughed out loud several times while watching a French series with English subtitles means the humor translates very well. Also, this might be a bit vapid - but the actors were all quite attractive in somewhat unconventional ways which gives this show that extra boost in my opinion.
Fast forward to Season 2 and I was left rather disappointed, hence my new review and lower rating. Lots of irrational, borderline bizarre behavior among the characters made the show loose a lot of its realistic and relatable appeal. Everything felt rushed, incoherent, and definitely lacked the original humor and cinematic creativity from the first season. It was still alright to watch but unfortunately not as entertaining or memorable as the first season.
Fast forward to Season 2 and I was left rather disappointed, hence my new review and lower rating. Lots of irrational, borderline bizarre behavior among the characters made the show loose a lot of its realistic and relatable appeal. Everything felt rushed, incoherent, and definitely lacked the original humor and cinematic creativity from the first season. It was still alright to watch but unfortunately not as entertaining or memorable as the first season.
Delightful French Rom-Com
Jonas202120 December 2018
Romantic comedies are not supposed to be "realistic". It's the genre. In Pretty Girl, Richard Gere, an uber-rich businessman, falls in love with a prostitute and they end up together. Realistic? Hardly. But everyone wants love to conquer all (and in the Rom Com genre, it does). One of the reviewers here lamented the depiction of Elsa, the female lead, as unlikable and awkward. In spite of her quirks, put-offs, and faux pas, we love her anyway and want her to succeed. That's the genre. Rom Coms are not meant to reinvent the wheel or cover new territory. If we're lucky, they are munchable mind-candy. If we're not, they are an annoying waste of time (we're talking about you, Jennifer Lopez). Most Rom Coms are terrible, sold by the weight of their leads. Throw Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks together (You Got Mail) and as terrible as the script may be, people will watch and extract what little blood can be squeezed from that anemic turnip.
Plan Coeur was delightful. It's nice to have something light and that doesn't require a huge commitment (there are eight (8) twenty-five minute episodes instead of 10-12 one-hour episodes) to invest for the ride. Yes, the story is implausible. Of course, it would never happen in real life, and if it did, everyone would be horrified and there would be no chance of redemption for any of the characters. Real life is not a genre. Romantic comedy is.
There is something honest about genre pieces in foreign languages and foreign settings. It isn't over the top. The characters are more subtle than they otherwise would be in their black-and-white counterparts in American cinema and television. Despite the exaggerated characters, the dialogue and the personalities ring more authentic than, say, 97% of the characters on Californication (or name your US-based Rom Com), even if the scenarios are not grounded in the same. I appreciate the stripped-down versions. Less is phoned-in, and more of the success of the show is based upon the story and the acting instead of the plot. In American Rom Coms, the scenarios often become so exaggerated to compensate for the sheer lack of thought, character development, or structure. This was a show that took its time to tell a simple story about a man and a woman meeting and falling in love under unlikely (improbable/ impossible) circumstances. But, for what it is, it works. I wish there would be more shows like Plan Coeur - fun, easy, endearing, mindless, but developed enough to be worth the while. While I would like to see more of this - in tone and levity - I would understand if there is not a second season. Within the Rom Com genre, there probably isn't anywhere for this story to evolve, unless subsequent seasons became more Sit Com instead of Rom Com.
Zita Hanrot, the actress who plays Elsa, is lovely for the part. Her naivete, honesty, and awkwardness translate without telegraphing. It's a fine line that she walks beautifully without overplaying. I hope to see more of her in the future.
Recommended.
Plan Coeur was delightful. It's nice to have something light and that doesn't require a huge commitment (there are eight (8) twenty-five minute episodes instead of 10-12 one-hour episodes) to invest for the ride. Yes, the story is implausible. Of course, it would never happen in real life, and if it did, everyone would be horrified and there would be no chance of redemption for any of the characters. Real life is not a genre. Romantic comedy is.
There is something honest about genre pieces in foreign languages and foreign settings. It isn't over the top. The characters are more subtle than they otherwise would be in their black-and-white counterparts in American cinema and television. Despite the exaggerated characters, the dialogue and the personalities ring more authentic than, say, 97% of the characters on Californication (or name your US-based Rom Com), even if the scenarios are not grounded in the same. I appreciate the stripped-down versions. Less is phoned-in, and more of the success of the show is based upon the story and the acting instead of the plot. In American Rom Coms, the scenarios often become so exaggerated to compensate for the sheer lack of thought, character development, or structure. This was a show that took its time to tell a simple story about a man and a woman meeting and falling in love under unlikely (improbable/ impossible) circumstances. But, for what it is, it works. I wish there would be more shows like Plan Coeur - fun, easy, endearing, mindless, but developed enough to be worth the while. While I would like to see more of this - in tone and levity - I would understand if there is not a second season. Within the Rom Com genre, there probably isn't anywhere for this story to evolve, unless subsequent seasons became more Sit Com instead of Rom Com.
Zita Hanrot, the actress who plays Elsa, is lovely for the part. Her naivete, honesty, and awkwardness translate without telegraphing. It's a fine line that she walks beautifully without overplaying. I hope to see more of her in the future.
Recommended.
Nice show, toxic clique
irynasan27 July 2020
The right kind of vibes
natalievuong14 December 2018
First season good -- stop watching after the 1st episode of season 2.
marcssubs9 January 2022
A fantastic first season, followed by a second season that seemed forced.
The wife and I immensely enjoyed watching the first season of this with subtitles (she speaks French, but I do not). We binged through the first season in one or two nights because we thought it was so great.
The second season was a different story.
Although we were glad we watched the first episode of Season 2, because that tied up some loose ends from season , we felt the show went downhill in the episodes that followed -- so much so, that after we got half-way through episode 4 of season 2 we decided that the show had lost its way, and we decided not to watch any more or the series.
The wife and I immensely enjoyed watching the first season of this with subtitles (she speaks French, but I do not). We binged through the first season in one or two nights because we thought it was so great.
The second season was a different story.
Although we were glad we watched the first episode of Season 2, because that tied up some loose ends from season , we felt the show went downhill in the episodes that followed -- so much so, that after we got half-way through episode 4 of season 2 we decided that the show had lost its way, and we decided not to watch any more or the series.
Just started season 2. Disappointing
LucyBonette14 October 2019
Season 2 is starting out with a very unrealistic story and I'm sure it will only get worse from here, but I'm afraid they've lost me. I'll consider the season 1 finale as the end of the story. That works better I think.
Jules origin name
sakineri7 January 2020
Amazing!!
sophiejonker9916 October 2019
Entertaining/Annoying
nerry_n4 December 2020
Minus one or two endearing characters (Antoine,Ronan...), most of the characters are unbelievably annoying. The main protagonist (Elsa) is annoying and naive in season 1 and unbearable and spineless in season 2. There are still quite a few comedic moments and overall it is an entertaining show. I watch it in french with English subtitles because I can't get myself to sit through a dubbed show.
Enjoyable Romantic Comedy
helenroberts-997449 January 2022
The Hook Up Plan ( or Plan Coeur as it is in France) is a French romantic comedy series which has as its premise that the female lead character Elsa's friends employ a male escort to date her. The show then follows the lives of Elsa and her two best friends Milou and Charlotte and the men in their lives.
I really enjoyed this. I only discovered the series just before Christmas 2021 so I was able to binge watch all 3 series in one go.
It's lighthearted, it did make me laugh out loud at some points and was full of images of modern Paris, a nice antidote to 'Emily in Paris'.
The male escort device didn't last long at all really and then it just became about their lives. The lead characters were perhaps the least appealing to me, my favourites were Cha Cha, Antoine, Max and Milou.
Some people have said they have used this show to improve their French. I only have high school French but I watched this in French with English subtitles and it was easy to follow. Anyone who watches it with overdubbed American accents should be shot. I don't think it improves my French but i did quickly learn a word they didn't teach me at school - Putain!
I'm looking out for more French tv like this but it is hard to find.
I really enjoyed this. I only discovered the series just before Christmas 2021 so I was able to binge watch all 3 series in one go.
It's lighthearted, it did make me laugh out loud at some points and was full of images of modern Paris, a nice antidote to 'Emily in Paris'.
The male escort device didn't last long at all really and then it just became about their lives. The lead characters were perhaps the least appealing to me, my favourites were Cha Cha, Antoine, Max and Milou.
Some people have said they have used this show to improve their French. I only have high school French but I watched this in French with English subtitles and it was easy to follow. Anyone who watches it with overdubbed American accents should be shot. I don't think it improves my French but i did quickly learn a word they didn't teach me at school - Putain!
I'm looking out for more French tv like this but it is hard to find.
Love this series
whzixjjm6 January 2021
Get rid of Elsa!
kcauffman-685922 January 2022
I like pretty much everything about it except Elsa. The actress and the character are so unlikable. She's so annoying, what is everyone supposed to love so much about her? I don't get it. That actor is too hot for her too. It's not realistic.
Surprisingly good
chillyacademic3 August 2019
This show elevates a simple premise with strong writing and acting. The characters are relatable and three-dimensional, and it's genuinely funny. The Paris setting also adds to the charm. Looking forward to season 2.
Really disappointing second series
frandamby20 October 2019
After watching season 1 and loving it, can't help but be majorly disappointed in season 2.
The characters went into meltdown and I could barely follow the storyline.
Instead of this being about an awkward girl looking for love, I felt like season 2 just through a load of ego's out in the hope it was funny and I'm not actually sure I laughed at all.
Everything was so rushed. I think it may have been better if Elsa had stayed in Argentina.
My advice, watch season 1 and leave it there.
Good vibes
moraanex9 November 2020
Excellent
bshaef18 December 2018
Another great Netflix foreign series. Some day when I get really brave, i'll turn off the CC translator and try to understand the French, even though I don't speak much French, living in Tejas. The Hookup Plan was just about perfect. The writers and directors and, of course the actors, earned A+'s from me. Now I have to learn how to speak Spanish, French, Danish and probably some more that I don't remember now. Thank you Netflix for adding another dimension to my educational pursuits.
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