Moliere

I’ll admit, I didn’t know much about 17th century French playwright Molière prior to popping this DVD into my player. I knew who he was, of course—I’m not quite that uncouth—but I was hoping to learn something insightful. Well, what I got instead was a Hallmark Channel quality historical romance with all the zest and pizzazz of a stale baggette.

The story picks up when Jean-Baptiste Poquelin—better known as Molière, played by the handsome but thin Romain Duris—is down on his luck and unsuccessfully trying to get away from the comedic plays he was so loved for. He wants to do “serious work,” you see. The Hollywood mentality never changes, even when it’s 1644 in the City of Lights.

The above-noted aspect of the story is reasonably interesting, but the romantic angle is shallow and fallow at best. And sadly, the movie looks as flat as it feels—there are some gorgeous sets, exteriors, costumes, wigs, jewelry, etc., but the film is shot like a pre-hi-def-era television movie.

Unless you’re an extreme period romance addict or a card-carrying fan of the Molière Fan Club, I’d advise you to say au revoir this particular bio-pic.