Molière Review

Laurent Tirad’s 2007 film Molière succeeds as a witty period piece and romantic comedy. Most notably, the costume and set design is elaborate and authentic enough to excite the Jane Austen fans. One of the film’s most unique aspects of setting up its romance sequences is the film’s general satirical approach to love. In this specific set-up, love is largely linked toward the tragic and comic pairing in dramatic arts, a skill set that the film thrives on.
Based on Molière's two plays “Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme” and “Tartuffe,”the film intricately intertwines love, success, misfortune, greed and death through the likable protagonist Jean-Baptiste Poquelin (Romain Duris), better known as Molière. He is an actor and a playwright who relates to Moulin Rouge’s Chrisitian as a lovestruck artist who wishes to document his own pessimistic quest with love. He is shown as the ringleader to his own acting troupe. Molière begins the film in 1645 as an established playwright who returns to Paris with his troupe after a touring absence. He admits his desires toward changing his typical comedic writing style to one of tragedy. His decision surprises a few who only expect his charismatic comedic affluence to illuminate the stage.

After receiving a mysterious letter from a young girl, the film jumps back thirteen years to a time when Molière was a less than admired figure. It is here where the audience learns of his change from tragedy acting to one of comedic relief when he is taken to jail for immense debts. Monsieur Jourdain (Fabrice Luchini), a wealthy man in the audience at this theater agrees to take Molière out of jail if he will in turn help the married man gain the love and affection of the widowed, self-centered Célimène (Ludivine Sagnier) through a one-act play he has written. Once Molière obliges, Monsieur Jourdain insists he hide his discrepencies by acting as a religion tutor for his young daughter and going by the name of “Tartuffe.” Through helping Monsieur Jourdain, another kind of love triangle ensues for the talented Molière with Monsieur Jourdain’s driven but neglected wife, Elmire (Laura Morante).

Molière’s reactions towards the insipid Monsieur Jourdain is a highlight within the film, especially in a scene where Molière teaches Monsieur Jourdain how to best express himself through acting, by having him pretend to be a horse. Yes, a horse. That stand-out scene is just what sets Molière apart from other films of its genre by keeping the laughs relevant and well-executed instead of overly-saturated and pretentious in producing a comedy. Although some might find Molière’s character a little too sympathy-evoking, the film’s overall message and delivery of love is respectable.