Mr Blake, at your service – REVIEW

The film follows grieving widower Andrew Blake ( John Malkovich) who travels to the French chateau where he first met his wife, hoping to find some solace. However, the chateau and its owner, Natalie Beauvillier ( Fanny Ardant), have fallen on hard times financially. A case of mistaken identity arises when Blake is confused by the housekeeper (the late Emilie Dequenne) for an applicant responding to a butler advertisement. This sets off a series of comedic errors, and Blake unexpectedly goes along with it, seeing it as a distraction from his grief and lack of purpose after retirement. From there, much of the humor stems from further misunderstandings and the instructions given to him by other characters. However, much of this feels forced – one scene features Malkovich in drag that feels like a random, over-the-top costume choice – and the film ultimately centers around the predictable and developing romance between Blake and Beauvillier.








