‘My Donkey, My Lover & I’: French comedy cheese

Above : Laure Calamy stars in the French comedy “My Donkey, My Lover & I.” (Photo/Greenwich Entertainment)

Time was it was a movie-lover’s lot to sit, often alone, in the old Magic Lantern Theatre and watch French films.

I say alone because, one, when the theater was located on the top floor of the Atrium Building , the screens were small, the seats were uncomfortable and trains had the irritating habit of passing by and drowning out the sound.

And, two, Spokane moviegoers in those days didn’t like to read subtitles, especially when the language being spoken onscreen was French.

At least it seemed that way through much of the 1980s.

Times have changed, somewhat. You’re still not likely to see sell-out crowds at French-language screenings, such as is scheduled to happen on Friday when the Lantern opens the comedy “My Donkey, My Lover & I” – or, in French, “Antoinette dans la Cévannes.”

But you may not be alone either.

Anyway, the movie – which was directed by Caroline Vignol, stars Laure Calamy and is based (very, very loosely) on the writing of Robert Louis Stevenson – is getting great reviews.

Paul Byrnes of the Sydney Morning Herald wrote, “Calamy’s performance has rightly been awarded for its superb shading, but let’s not forget the donkey, brilliant as her straight man. Who says nobody likes a smart ass?”

Kevin Maher of The Times (of London) wrote, “Yes, it’s cheesy, but in the nicest possible way.”

A cheesy French comedy. Seems appropriate. I’ll take some Brie along with that baguette.