Russian Dolls

The continuing romantic adventures of Xavier (Duris), first seen in 2002's 'Pot Luck', this is a picture-postcard scrapbook of a movie, following our hero through various relationship troubles (although being surrounded by so many gorgeous women seems hardly troublesome) in Paris, London and finally St. Petersburg. The film is great fun, sharply edited with a nice line in surreal humour, and an enjoyable preoccupation with storytelling - the title can be taken as a reference to the stories within stories that it tells. Less satisfying is the conclusion; after setting the film up as an investigation into the nature of love, it ends up with nothing insightful to say on the subject. But it remains a thoroughly entertaining date movie. [Paul Gallagher]