'Paris' alight with luminous performances

PARIS — ★★★ — Romain Duris, Juliette Binoche, Fabrice Luchini; with English subtitles (French dialects); rated R (profanity, vulgarity, brief sex, slurs, brief drugs, violence); Broadway Centre

"Paris" is more overstuffed than a Thanksgiving turkey — or those feasting on said turkey.

The French-language drama features nearly a half-dozen separate story lines, with at least a dozen characters inhabiting them.

And because many of the actors in the film are big names — in terms of star power, this is the Gallic equivalent of Steven Soderbergh's all-star "Ocean's" movies — their characters need significant screen time.

Yet for all the problems that creates, there's a lot to like here, especially the performances. And you can't really argue with a film that tells us we should be good to one another, celebrates the importance of family and suggests we should live our lives to the fullest.

Screenwriter/director Cedric Klapisch ("Russian Dolls") weaves interconnected stories, as in such Robert Altman movies as "Short Cuts" (1993) or the Oscar-winning, 2004 drama "Crash."

Romain Duris stars as Pierre, a dancer who's recently been diagnosed with a serious heart disease. In fact, the doctors aren't giving him much of a chance for survival without a transplant.

They have, however, advised him to start a drug regimen. And thankfully, his sister, ?ise (Juliette Binoche), has agreed to move in and help take care of him.

Other tangentially related tales include those of Roland (Fabrice Luchini), a history professor who pines for one of his students (Melanie Laurent, from "Inglourious Basterds"); and Roland's brother, Philippe (Fran?is Cluzet), a middle-aged architect who's trying to become a father.

And there's divorced fruit vendor Jean (Albert Dupontel), who has become bitter toward women — at least until he meets ?ise.

There are real moments of beauty here, such as the touching scenes showing the loving relationship between Duris and the always luminous Binoche, as brother and sister.

And there's also a funny, visually inventive fantasy/nightmare sequence featuring Cluzet.

"Paris" is rated R and features strong sexual language (profanity, crude sex talk and other suggestive language), other off-color references, a brief sex scene (mostly implied), derogatory language and slurs (some based on race, ethnicity and national origin), brief drug content (references to prescription medicines and pharmaceuticals), and a brief bit of disturbing violent content and imagery (a motorcycle-automobile collision). Running time: 129 minutes.

e-mail: jeff@desnews.com