Rating: NR
Genre:
Romance
Release Date: 02/15/2005
SubTitles: English
Dubbed: English/French
Sound: DD5.1/DD2
Run Time: 96 Minutes
Flags: Adult Situations, Questionable for Children
Distributor/Studio: Fox Lorber
A middle-aged Frenchwoman is either experiencing delusions of grandeur or the full force of destiny in director
Tonie Marshall's 2002
romantic drama Nearest to Heaven (
Au Plus Pres Du Paradis). When single non-fiction book author
Fanette (
Catherine Deneuve) accidentally bumps into former schoolmate
Bernard (
Bernard Le Coq) -- who was smitten with
Fanette in school but whose affection remained unrequited -- she is reminded of another man whom she loved intensely. This other man,
Philippe, left a huge impression on
Fanette as she begins to lose herself in reminiscences over the brief, intense relationship the two experienced. After catching a number of screenings for the 1957 film
An Affair to Remember -- which was also
Fanette and
Philippe's favorite film during their fling --
Fanette gets the notion from what may or may not be a figment of her imagination to go to New York and visit the observation deck of the Empire State Building. Setting out under the pretense of putting the finishing touches on her latest book, she arrives in the States and discovers her usual photographer has been replaced by the single and somewhat attractive male photographer
Matt (
William Hurt) -- which further confuses
Fanette when she eventually develops feelings for him.
~ Ryan Shriver, All Movie Guide