Michael's Movie Grade: B
A really charming comedy from France.
This film has a very basic premise but one that is incredibly charming. A woman, who has a tendency to be very selfish, finds herself making a long trek with only a donkey as her companion. Though this journey she learns more about herself and develops a close relationship with the donkey. While this story may be nothing new or groundbreaking, it is a simple story well told and sometimes that can be more than enough. Director and writer, Caroline Vignal knows just how to keep the story moving and the audience constantly invested. The heart of this movie is the relationship between our main character and her donkey. Wisely even though there is a romance, after the donkey is introduced this always remains the focal point. Since this relationship is very well handled, the movie works extremely well. This relationship is never rushed or forced. Instead it feels completely natural and the evolution of the relationship never feels any less than real. You perfectly believe as you see this relationship grow over the course of the movie, especially if you have ever had a great relationship with an animal yourself. Much of this is due to a wonderful performance from Laure Calamy. Though she is far from the only one in the cast, her character is the one who carries the whole film. Luckily the actress is more than up to the task, bringing out the perfect blend of humor and humanity. It has often been said that it is not the destination but the journey and that is definitely true of this film. Caroline Vignal knows that the smaller scenes are the most important in a movie like this and the little moments are the most charming parts of this film. This movie is also a comedy and a really good one at that. While it doesn't start as funny as it should, when this movie gets going it is absolutely hilarious. There are many laugh out loud moments in this movie and they only increase as the film goes on.
Unfortunately as well as My Donkey & I, there is also My Lover. The romance in this film is not really that interesting or well fleshed out. The scenes with her lover's wife and daughter are equally uninteresting. Luckily this is not the focus of the film and as soon as the donkey appears, it is thankfully pushed to the background. This is also a movie where you know what is going to happen every step of the way.
Despite any faults, this is an excellent movie and one that will leave you with a smile on your face as you exit the theater.
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