Un divan à New York (1996)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Chantal Akerman

Writers:

Chantal Akerman (writer)
Jean-Louis Benoît (writer)

Release Date:

21 February 1996 (Belgium)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

A Man... A Woman... A Dog... The perfect combination for romance...

Plot:

Dr. Henry Harriston is a successful psychoanalyst in New York City. When he is near a nervous breakdown...

Plot Keywords:

New York | France | Psychoanalyst | Bohemian | Transference

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Juliette Binoche	...	Beatrice Saulnier
William Hurt	...	Henry Harriston
Stephanie Buttle	...	Anne
Barbara Garrick	...	Lizbeth Honeywell
Paul Guilfoyle	...	Dennis
Richard Jenkins	...	Campton
Kent Broadhurst	...	Tim
Matthew Burton	...	Wood
Henry Bean	...	Stein
Bernard Breuse	...	Jerôme
Adam LeFevre	...	Restaurant Patron
Boris Leskin	...	Cab Driver #1
Tiffany Fraser	...	Julie (as Tiffany Frazer)
Wendy Way	...	Employee at Airport
Jerry Dean	...	Cab Driver #2

Also Known As:

A Couch in New York (USA)
A Couch in New York (Finland) (DVD title) [fi]
Det bor en fransk kvinna i min lägenhet (Sweden) [sv]
Eine Couch in New York (Germany) [de]
Ena divani sti Nea Yorki (Greece) [el]
New York'ta bir çilgin (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]
Pariisi, New York - vuoroin vieraissa (Finland) (video title) [fi]
Romance en Nueva York (Spain) [es]
Um Divã em Nova Iorque (Portugal) [pt]
Un divano a New York (Italy) [it]

MPAA:

Rated R for some language.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Finland:S | Argentina:Atp | Chile:TE | Germany:6 (w) | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:T | Sweden:7 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Babelsberg, Potsdam, Brandenburg, Germany

Company:

Babelsberg Film

Romcom sofa spuds will enjoy this couch!

Beatrice (Juliette Binoche) is a free-spirited Parisian woman with plenty of male admirers. The trouble is, she hasn't really returned anyone's affections. When she feels pressured, she decides to swap apartments with a New Yorker for awhile. Henry (William Hurt) is a shrink who also is a bit tired of putting people's lives in order and he believes a trip to Paris will do him good. However, Beatrice is mistaken for a doctor temporarily replacing Henry and is beset with several patients. She listens, she has fun! And, patients hand her the green stuff. Meanwhile, Henry is less than thrilled with Beatrice's noisy apartment and decides to come back to the NY area early. Ah ha! He finds out in short order that Beatrice has been seeing his patients and he decides to pose as one. Let the games begin.

This very French film, told mostly in English, has a sweet charm and a wonderful premise. Binoche graces the film with her loveliness and talent and Hurt gives a likable performance as well. Yes, it is understated and the dialogue seems truncated at times, but the movie has a European flavor that will please those who like it quirky. All other elements, costumes, scenery, and cinematography, are nice, too. If you belong to the group of film enthusiasts which needs a dose of laughs and love every week, find this film in the near future. It is a great movie to watch from a comfortable couch, with or without, a partner.