Cédric Klapisch ends his trilogy — including both L’Auberge Espagnole and the Russian Dolls — with his final installment: The Chinese Puzzle. Xavier (Roman Duris), a forty-year-old writer, follows his recently divorced wife, Wendy (Kelly Reilly), to New York in order to maintain a relationship with his kids. Xavier moves in with his carefree, life-loving Belgium friend, Isabelle (Cécile De France), and her Chinese-American girlfriend, Ju (Sandrine Holt). After donating his sperm to impregnate Isabelle, Xavier moves into Ju’s old apartment, located in China Town. The apartment becomes the place where Isabelle meets with her Belgian mistress and babysitter, also named Isabelle (Flore Bonaventura).
Distinct reds, blues, and yellows color Klapisch’s universe, making it reminiscent of Asian folk art and giving New York an oddly light-hearted feel. The New York that exists in Klapisch’s world is distinctly from the perspective of a foreigner.. Excluding one minor excursion — which consisted of getting Xavier both a wife (Li Jun Li) and, more importantly, a visa — Klapisch depicts almost all encounters with New Yorkers as welcoming, pleasant, and oddly optimistic. Klapisch’s vision is that of the American Dream: a place for adventure and, most of all, love.
These two things are exactly what the audience gets in the film’s well-timed comedy. The Chinese Puzzle quickly adopts a quirky, feel-good tone, with Xavier adorning his own farcical costume and absurd sporadic interactions with dead German philosophers like Schopenhauer and Hegel. The script manages to be both side-splittingly funny and poetic. From Xavier’s lyrical musing of New York to his scenes with Martine, the wit in the script is undeniable.
Despite the films well-timed comedy, the anticipation for the extravagant denouement took far too long. Klapisch’s one hour and fifty-seven minute movie could have easily been a half hour shorter, and it would have been just as phenomenal, if not better. Emotional commitment to the characters is key in watching this film. Luckily, Klapisch does not make that too much of a struggle for the audience.
The soundtrack is a gem within the film. Vaguely seventies-esque, upbeat, toe-tapping jams add to the ambiance of the movie. The editing in the beginning has a similar effect. Klapisch’s use of slow motion, transitions, and colors set a playful tone for the film.
The Chinese Puzzle does not lack from well-composed scenes. The great cinematography is what takes Klapisch’s film from an absurd romantic comedy to an artfully done film.
In the end, it’s Xavier and Martine’s love that is the true moral of the story. They show the audience that the world is only as harsh and complicated as you make it. It is the audience’s job to live their lives like they still have the carefree air of a young adult, no matter their true age. The Chinese Puzzle is really Klapisch’s ode to love, life, and comedy — a perfect film to begin the summer with.