ROMAIN DURIS

FLICK Do you enjoy watching good performances whether the film is great, average or a stinker? If so, then check out the some of films highlighted here starring Romain Duris, an amazing, chameleon-like French actor with a growing resume of remarkable movies. Born on May 28, 1974, Duris wasn’t looking for fame when a casting director noticed him standing in front of a Paris high school.
I was first introduced to him in the internationally popular romantic-comedy from 2002, L’auberge espagnole (The Spanish Apartment). Here he plays French student Xavier who moves to Barcelona to study economics and shares an apartment with six other students, all from different countries. In the light-hearted sequel Russian Dolls, Xavier is following his dream to become a writer. Duris pulls off the typically difficult role appearing as an apparent womanizer but actually learning about, while searching for, love. In the end he realizes that like Russian (or nesting) dolls, you have to date them all until you find the last one.
Duris soars higher as Thomas in the accomplished The Beat That My Heart Skipped (see my review here at mariomoves), convincing us that he is an animalistic thug working for his father and equally sensitive to rediscover his interest in playing classical piano, as his mother did.
The closest he’s come to making an American film is the Merchant-Ivory film, Le Divorce, (co-starring another French actor to look for, Melvil Poupaud). With his hair most Medusa–like, even more wild and noodley than the New York Times magazine cover (posted on the left), Romain shows off his sex-appeal as Yves who is having an affair with Kate Hudson’s character, Isabel. In one scene he sings a snippet of the song "Money Makes the World Go ‘Round" from Cabaret and his playful style makes it easy to see him someday in the lead role of the MC in that musical.
I’m looking forward to catching up with another film from 2002, 17 Times Cécile Cassard. Director Christophe Honoré has assembled 17 short films to tell the story of Cécile, unable to deal with the death of her husband. Duris shows his versatility in a supporting role as Matthieu, a gay man who becomes romantically involved with Cécile.
Follow this link to watch a video from the film, titled "Pretty Killer", as two share a sexy slow-dance with a third. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8nTryJX7cn4&NR=1

The hair gets special treatment again as Romain plays the comedic playwright and actor in the upcoming summer release Molière. Check out the whimsical trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony/moliere/trailer/

Though his physical looks change in almost every film, it’s the subtleties he emotes as well as the twinkling eyes and infectious smile that combine to make Duris one of the most electrifying international actors working today.
Bon anniversaire, Romain!