Jet Lag (Décalage horaire) is only the second directorial effort from Monaco's Danièle Thompson, although she's been writing movies for nearly 40 years now. It's a simple story that rarely goes outside the boundaries of romantic comedy, but it's still a pretty fun ride along the way. Starring Juliette Binoche (Chocolat) and Jean Reno (Leon: The Professional), it's obviously got the advantage of two very capable leads. Here's the setup: Rose (Binoche) and Felix (Reno) meet by chance in a French airport, and are stuck together after their flights are delayed due to a strike. What happens next does little to advance the genre, but Jet Lag is entertaining and has a number of scenes that work well. The dialogue is smart, the settings are unique, and Rose and Felix have good chemistry.

Unfortunately, there's not much more for these potential lovers to do, other than go the typical "on again, off again" route. The main reason is the lack of supporting characters; there's one, but he's only seen for about 5 minutes. In truth, though, the real culprit is the setting. These two are stuck together in an uncomfortable country (Rose is finally getting away from an abusive relationship, while Felix has bad memories of growing up there), so all they really have at the time is each other. In Felix's hotel room (which he invites Rose to stay at), claustrophobia sets in quickly. These two are seemingly opposite in every sense of the word, so it's rough road for a while. However, in typical rom-com fashion, Jet Lag takes the easy way out...it goes for a somewhat unrealistic ending so the audience can leave with a big, warm fuzzy.

While I normally don't like romantic comedies, there are a few exceptions...When Harry Met Sally and Amelie are the first ones that come to mind. Usually, they rarely go beneath the surface...but every once in a while, something stands out. While I don't consider Jet Lag to be a shining example, it's not a bad rent and has some great moments. One such moment is the eventual 'character change': Rose spends the first half of the movie completely covered in make-up, but Felix eventually sees her natural beauty after she finishes a shower in his hotel room. It's easy to understand why Felix suddenly opens his eyes...beneath all that awful make-up is a truly stunning woman. Any guy who disagrees with that statement can keep their air-brushed imaginations to themselves. I'll take the real thing any day.

Overall, Jet Lag was a charming, funny movie. It has its flaws, but it's a good date movie that guys might actually enjoy (Hey, it's got friggin' Leon in it!). This Canadian DVD release is officially titled Décalage horaire (except on the front cover), but a domestic release is scheduled for January 20. While I wouldn't recommend this version to American audiences (for reasons below), you may want to give that upcoming domestic release a shot. Here are the details for the Canadian DVD:

Jet Lag came up a little short to recommend a blind buy, although it was still enjoyable. The acting was great, thanks to both Jean Reno and Juliette Binoche, so fans of either might enjoy this one. It's too bad there wasn't more meat to the story, but die-hard lovers of the romantic comedy genre could do a lot worse. While I'm not sure what the domestic release will include, this Canadian version does have a nice little assortment of extras (albeit in a foreign tongue). In light of the language barrier, any interested Yankees are better off going for the domestic release due out on January 20. Hopefully it won't be a bare-bones disc (especially given the price tag), because these extras should be made available for everyone. In any case, consider this review less of a promotion for the Canadian DVD, and more of a 'heads-up' for the movie itself. No matter which version you're looking for, I'd still advise you to Rent It first...you might be pleasantly surprised.