Russian Dolls (Les Poupées Russes) (2005)

72% of critics liked it
(47 reviews)
75% of users liked it
(32,143 ratings)

A French writer finds his life is once again being turned sideways by his footloose European friends in this sequel to the international hit L'Auberge Espagnole. Five years after we last saw him, Xavier (Romain Duris) has given up his aspirations of a career in international finance, but his new… More A French writer finds his life is once again being turned sideways by his footloose European friends in this sequel to the international hit L'Auberge Espagnole. Five years after we last saw him, Xavier (Romain Duris) has given up his aspirations of a career in international finance, but his new path as a writer isn't going as well as he hoped; his novel about his experiences in Spain has yet to be published, and lately he's been writing scripts for a French soap opera. When his French producers enter into a co-production agreement with a British network and Xavier lands an assignment ghost-writing a tell-all autobiography for famous fashion model Celia Shelburn (Lucy Gordon), he finds himself spending plenty of time traveling between Paris and London. In London, Xavier becomes reacquainted with Wendy (Kelly Reilly), whom he met during his time in Spain, and he wonders if he should take another stab at a relationship with her; Wendy is currently involved, but is increasingly frustrated with her boyfriend's drug problems and mood swings. Xavier is also infatuated with Celia, and wonders if a dalliance with the glamorous model might be possible. Needing romantic advice, Xavier turns to another old friend, Isabelle (Cécile De France), a lesbian who offers her understanding of women as well as a spare bedroom in her flat. Xavier also gets pointers from his ex-girlfriend Martine (Audrey Tautou), who has a child from a former beau and is trying to sort out her own romantic troubles. Russian Dolls (aka Les Poupées Russes) also features Kevin Bishop, reprising his role as William from the first film. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 2 hr. 8 min.
Directed By: Cédric Klapisch
Written By: Cédric Klapisch
Genres: Romance, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: May 10, 2006 Limited
On DVD: Sep 26, 2006
Studio: Cinema Libre Studio

Critic Reviews

Mick LaSalle, San Francisco Chronicle
For those who saw and loved L'Auberge Espagnole, Russian Dolls automatically becomes of interest, but writer-director Cedric Klapisch can't quite make the case for it as a stand-alone experience.
Ty Burr, Boston Globe
Klapisch has made something deliciously close to a nature documentary about the young, the foolish, and the alive.
Michael Wilmington, Chicago Tribune
[Xavier] turns this film into more of a self-fixated memoir, less of a blithe ensemble piece.
Desson Thomson, Washington Post
Fluffily enjoyable.
Owen Gleiberman, Entertainment Weekly
Klapisch, who digitally divides frames into collages of memory, is perfectly in tune with our era's cynical freedoms.
Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter
Great fun, thanks to the sparkling dialogue, entertaining performances, and the gorgeous scenery of Paris, London and St. Petersburg.
Christopher Campbell, Cinematical
Anyone who loved L'Auberge Espagnole should at least like its sequel as something of a guilty fling.
David Noh, Film Journal International
His directorial hand is so handsomely assured and his cast so charming that it's easy to succumb to his let-me-entertain-you blandishments
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com
Essentially this is Espagnole on repeat, as if the lessons from the former film had been fully expunged after five years on ice.
Marta Barber, Miami Herald
The cast of renegades is as appealing as ever.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
It's hard to decide what's prettier in Russian Dolls: the people or the places. Either way, we win.
Jack Garner, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
If you saw and enjoyed the previous film, you'll know what to expect, and you'll enjoy it.
Michele Kenner, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
With its crackling dialogue and attractive, fully rounded characters, Russian Dolls puts American movies on similar subjects to shame.
Jeffrey M. Anderson, Combustible Celluloid
Klapisch has a light, springy touch and a real adoration for his characters and their Paris/London locations, and even at a lengthy 126 minutes, the film never drags.
Jeff Shannon, Seattle Times
It's an effortlessly charming ensemble, and Klapisch's characters (most of them anyway) reveal depths of feeling that compensate for the film's lightweight tone and too-long running time.
Sean Axmaker, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
(T)he film is all sex and style, with a photogenic cast leaping across Europe while the director plays narrative games.
Mike Russell, Oregonian
A sort of wandering rom-com epic -- kicking romantic fallacies in the ribs while capturing something essential about the solipsism and dreams of young urbanites.
Rob Thomas, Capital Times (Madison, WI)
If you can't afford to make that big European vacation this summer, "Russian Dolls" provides both the locations and some amusing company for the journey.

Read all 18 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Carlos M

Even with a share of good moments, this is an unnecessary and forgettable sequel that relies too much on Xavier's disastrous search for love instead of focusing on the expected reunion of the friends of L'Auberge Espagnole. Good to see, though, that it doesn't get… More
Even with a share of good moments, this is an unnecessary and forgettable sequel that relies too much on Xavier's disastrous search for love instead of focusing on the expected reunion of the friends of L'Auberge Espagnole. Good to see, though, that it doesn't get ruined by some of the poor narrative choices.
Cassandra M

"L'auberge espagnole", although not flawless and very low-key, is probably one of the best films about nostalgia ever made. In "Les poupées russes", the main character of both films, Xavier (Duris), has coped well with his post-Erasmus nostalgia. However, what… More
"L'auberge espagnole", although not flawless and very low-key, is probably one of the best films about nostalgia ever made. In "Les poupées russes", the main character of both films, Xavier (Duris), has coped well with his post-Erasmus nostalgia. However, what seemed, at the end of "L'auberge", to be both a cure and a new beginning has turned out to be much less of the latter. Xavier is nearly thirty and his life still badly needs focus. The film follows Xavier from Paris to London to Moscow to Saint-Petersburg, examining relationships with his ex-Erasmus friends (many of whom look like they got a hold on life better than himself), his ex-girlfriend Martine (Tautou) and various new lovers. The sceneries are exciting and the characters are crafted perhaps with even more care and sincerity than in "L'auberge" (the Duris-Tautou "still friends" duo is a delight) - but the romantic allure of "L'auberge" served well to smoothen the rough edges and dilute the film's hard-boiled message - writer-director Cédric Klapisch is definitely a man of ideas more than anything else. "Les poupées" is no less cerebral, but with the grown-up life being what it is, there's much less in the film to get carried away with - meaning that at times it becomes more of a philosophical drama than a romantic comedy. And for that purpose, perhaps the philosophical message that the film tries to convey - that letting go of dreams is a sad, but necessary part of growing up - is simply not strong enough.
Ross C

The next stage in the self-development of our cast of characters from "The Spannish Inn" as they continue their lives in the post-University days - every bit as good as the first movie.
Dean M

It's a bittersweet comedy and really good to see the group of carefree friends back toget her again since "The Spanish Apartment". I'm jealous of a writer has plenty of womanising by loving and sex.
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]In "Russian Dolls", it is five years after Xavier(Romain Duris) shared a crowded apartment in Barcelona for a year. He is back in Paris working as a writer on fluff pieces and ghostwriting the odd memoir. Occasionally, he has time to babysit for his… More
[font=Century Gothic]In "Russian Dolls", it is five years after Xavier(Romain Duris) shared a crowded apartment in Barcelona for a year. He is back in Paris working as a writer on fluff pieces and ghostwriting the odd memoir. Occasionally, he has time to babysit for his ex, Martine(Audrey Tautou). But he is kicked out of the apartment where he has been living, forcing him to move in with his lesbian friend Isabelle(Cecile De France) who he shanghais into pretending to be his fiancee, so as not to disappoint his 98-year old grandfather(Pierre Gerald).[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"Russian Dolls" is a mediocre and episodic sequel to "L'Auberge Espagnole"(which I saw in 2003 but cannot recall any of...) that returns to the characters five years later, or more precisely, one of them, Xavier, who is much too unpleasant to be a lead character. Everybody else revolves around him, most of them women, so there is definitely a hint of sexism here. This might have actually worked had it been a shorter, simpler film, set just around the St. Petersburg wedding.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]The movie reasons that people only stay single because they are all waiting to find the perfect person, but then there is nothing wrong with being single, is there? It's when somebody is with another person just to avoid being lonely that disaster happens. On a professional level, writers should first find a good job, then write on the side when they have the time. That reminds me, I also heard about this really cool thing called blogging...[/font]
Sunil J

Quite a disappointing sequel
Janice :

If you liked the first movie (L'Auberge Espagnole), chances are you will love this second film as well. Actually in my opinion this one is much much better! You've got Xavier who's evolving and slowly figuring out what he really wants out of life and then you have… More
If you liked the first movie (L'Auberge Espagnole), chances are you will love this second film as well. Actually in my opinion this one is much much better! You've got Xavier who's evolving and slowly figuring out what he really wants out of life and then you have all the other characters who are as charming and attaching as they were 5 years ago. Cécile de France gives once again a great performance (the lady is hilarious I tell you!) and one of my fave actors in the film has got to be Kelly Reilly. She is amazing! Bravo! In a nutshell, this is pretty enjoyable even though it may drag at times, BUT it's snazzy in its own way and it all works. So go ahead and rent this, you have absolutely nothing to lose!
Ina S

More conventional than the first one, but I still liked it, good fun.