Avenue Montaigne is a joyful movie, whose fun arises from characters that are sweet, widely different, and ultimately believable.

I walked away from the theater feeling good, though a little overwhelmed. There are so many lessons in Avenue Montaigne, I decided to focus on just one important idea: that you have value, regardless of your lot in life. And put in the right circumstances, understanding your own value adds to the lives of everyone you meet. Not the smarmy, manipulative, empty, ego-feeding “You are Somebody!” that we get in public school. I mean the firm joy of living that can be found through accepting yourself as you are and reaching out to others first.

Avenue Montaigne is a lighthearted film about Jessica, a young girl who leaves her home in Macon (as podunk as you can get in France) to find a life and adventure in Paris in the fashionable neighborhood of Avenue Montaigne. Jessica is an immediately lovable character. Her constant smile and positive outlook toward life are infectious (though not immediately so, I am afraid). There is way too much pretense in the Avenue for her infectious positivity. But she grows on everyone.

She gets a job at a small diner across from the Théâtre des Champs Elysées where, unbeknownst to her, most of her new life will evolve. She is not allowed to fraternize with the glitterati that visit her small diner (they want to escape the throngs). But Jessica cannot be deterred. She is overwhelmed by her proximity to greatness to the point that a she blurts out her admiration to her favorite actress before she can even remember her proper role.

This is a story about how one person—Jessica, doing and acting as she was designed to in life—can change those around her for good, apparently without even trying. Jessica is a simple person, perhaps even a simpleton. She disregards societal mores and expectations either on purpose or by ignorance (it’s impossible to tell which). Either way, she comes across as a refreshing change agent that no one else can resist. She is unpretentious, cute, positive, caring, and giving—all qualities that are surprisingly attractive, yet most of us seldom consider using them. Of course, pretentious giving becomes a drudgery that even the most calloused receiver can see through; but unadulterated care for people can put you in some remarkable places.

Danièle and Christopher Thompson’s screenplay is full of fictional people who are famous, talented, and seem to have it all, yet who spend most of their waking hours trying to be someone they are not. Famed concert pianist Jean-François Lefort has decided the constant pressure of performing around the world is not for him. He wants to settle down and start a family. His wife Valentine has been his manager for his entire career, and has been building the Lefort brand for her own reasons and cannot be persuaded to be “just” a wife. Rags-to-riches art collector Jacques Grumberg is selling out his entire collection to support his kids, who don’t really care about him, as he spent too much time early in life trying to become rich. Jacques knows what he is doing, but is still not satisfied with the life he has. Claudie is retiring from her life as concierge to the rich and famous who come to perform at the theatre. She spends her free time enraptured in sing-a-long with an eclectic collection of old 33 rpm recordings. She never made it big. She never made it at all. She performs only for her self, but her audience adores her. Famous and successful actress Catherine Versen hilariously pursues the lead in a movie despite her wide popularity and €300,000-per-episode soap opera job. None of them can see the beauty of the lives they lead. There are the expected hangers-on to all of these people, but the light of this little world is Jessica.

In her simple and endearing way, Jessica fulfills more of her own joy in life (as well as others’ lives) than any of the anointed artisans ever could while trudging through life pursuing selfish ambition. Because of her lack of pretense she becomes confidante to the literati, friend to the wealthy, unabashed fan and encouragement to artists of all types.

I think this is the great lesson of Avenue Montaigne: That if I toss away my pretense, toss away my unfounded expectations of a perverted view of success and just be myself, I can affect more people more positively. I have a firm conviction that we each have a calling in life, but few of us fulfill it. There is too much pressure to conform to style, or cultural dogma. But if you would like to see a glimpse of what God can do with your life if you “chill” and be yourself, watch Avenue Montaigne, or be a Jessica.

Avenue Montaigne is rated PG-13 for “some strong language and brief sexuality,” though I would say this film is very close to a family film. The brief sexuality is actually handled artistically off the screen (or offstage for you purists). There is some harsh language. But this film is really a feel-good movie with substance. It does not plod along like you would expect from an old 1960’s French movie. It is a French language film with subtitles, but stretch yourself a bit. There are some great lessons and very good humor in Avenue Montaigne. In short, it is well worth your time and money. Think of it as therapy.

Courtesy of a local publicist, Mike attended a promotional screening of Avenue Montaigne.