5/5
Review by John P. Harvey.
In this understated comedy of French manors, retired business executive Andrew Blake (John Malkovich) has lost the love of his life. When he connects an enormous rambling manor with her memory and he realises that the manor could use a butler, it seems to him an opportunity to keep fresh his memories of her.
The lady of the manor, Nathalie (Fanny Ardant), herself a widow, can barely afford the household’s remaining staff: Odile (Émilie Dequenne), head of the household and chiefly its cook; and Manon (Eugénie Anselin), who attends to other housework. Due to the state of Nathalie’s finances, the position of butler offers no payment as such; on the other hand, Andrew has no experience in playing butler. Upon meeting him, Odile recognises that, despite his inexperience as a butler, hiring him could be a good thing, and she takes a chance on him.
All three of the household’s women have their private problems. Nathalie still grieves her husband some years after his death, and has no way to prevent the continuing decline of the estate’s fortunes. Odile’s reluctance to risk standing out has held in check her natural creativity. And Manon has a secret grief brewing.
Andrew finds a curious satisfaction in the humanity of the life in the enormous manor to which he will contribute from a wealth of skills and initiatives, assisting his new employer and Odile and Manon in his own creative ways. As he establishes rapport with the three women, he finds any number of opportunities to help them profoundly — always providing that he can survive the suspicious, if well-intentioned, next-door neighbour, Magnier (Philippe Bas).
Mr Blake at Your Service sees the debonair Andrew’s wry observations and determined acts of kindness interplay with Nathalie’s implacable self-control, Manon’s innocent lack of it, Magnier’s rough manners, and Odile’s own warmth and high expectations to keep everybody on their toes. Malkovich holds centre stage, but performances all round are delightful, the filming is simply beautiful, and the pace, though undemanding, never flags. This gorgeous tale, adapted from debut director Gilles Legardinier’s own acclaimed novel, repays open-hearted attention to its generous serving of compassionate creativity.