Themes: Twentysomething Life, College Life, Love Triangles
Main Cast: Romain Duris, Cécile De France, Judith Godrëche, Audrey Tautou, Kelly Reilly
Release Year: 2002
Country: ES/FR
Run Time: 115 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
A man eager to learn Spanish gets an education he wasn't expecting in this comedy drama. Xavier (Romain Duris) is a French economics student who is nearing the completion of his degree and is looking for work. Xavier's father arranges for him to meet a ranking member of the Ministry of Finance, who makes him an offer -- he can give him a good job, but only under the condition that he learn to speak Spanish. Determined not to pass up the opportunity, Xavier enrolls in a language program in Barcelona, despite the misgivings of his girlfriend, Martine (Audrey Tautou). Upon his arrival, Xavier moves into a large house shared by a large group of students from all over Europe. Xavier finds that his ideas and attitudes are challenged in a positive way by the diverse personalities of his housemates, and that his loyalty to Martine is tested by his attraction to Anne-Sophie (Judith Godrèche), a sweet but lonesome woman from France who has been away from her husband for too long. After a visit, most of Xavier's roommates decide they don't much care for Martine and Xavier gets advice on seducing Anne-Sophie from an unexpected source -- Isabelle (Cécile de France), a footloose lesbian living in the house. L'Auberge Espagnole received its world premier at the 2002 Cannes Film Festival, and went on to earn prizes at the 2002 Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the 2003 Lumière Awards, and the 2003 César Awards. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
L'auberge espagnole (literally: The Spanish Inn), released in English speaking territories as Pot Luck is a 2002Frenchfilm directed and written by Cédric Klapisch. It is about Xavier, an Economics graduate student studying for a year in Barcelona, Spain as part of the Erasmus programme, where he encounters and learns from a group of students who hail from all over Western Europe.
The title of the film literally means "the Spanish hostel", and is a French idiom for a hodgepodge of 'ingredients,' sort of like a potluck. It is also sometimes used to mean a busy, chaotic place. The English title of the film is Pot Luck in the UK and Canada; Euro Pudding is an international title it was given, and it is also known as The Spanish Apartment. In Spain, where it is set, it was released as Una casa de locos —"Madhouse".
The film's portrayal is in the first-person perspective of the main character, Xavier, and is hence mainly narrated in French. Some of the dialogue is in English however, and a significant amount is in Spanish, as well as small amounts in Catalan, Danish, German and Italian.
The story follows Xavier, a 24 year old Frenchman, who leaves his girlfriend and his country for the ERASMUS programme in Barcelona, a prerequisite for a job with the French government. On the flight over, he meets a young "not cool" French couple who let him stay in their flat while he searches for a place to stay. Xavier manages to find an apartment with other people from all around Europe, including England, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Germany, and Denmark. The group become good friends and the remainder of the movie is based on their interactions.
The meaning of the story is based on Erasmus' famous essay "The Praise of Folly" which discusses the superiority of folly over conventional wisdom.
