Based on the 1997 National Book Award-nominated novel of the same name by Diane Johnson (co-writer of the script for
Stanley Kubrick's
The Shining), Le Divorce is a romantic comedy from director
James Ivory. Revisiting the "Americans in France" theme that Ivory explored in 1998's
A Soldier's Daughter Never Cries, the film stars
Kate Hudson as Isabel Walker. When she receives word that her pregnant poetess sister Roxy (
Naomi Watts) has been left by her philandering French husband, artist Charles-Henri de Persand (
Melvil Poupaud), Isabel offers her help and moral support. As the depressive Roxy struggles with the separation proceedings -- which include the rights to ownership of a work of art that's a family heirloom -- Isabel takes a job with author Olivia Pace and has a fling with the bohemian Yves (
Romain Duris). But things get complicated when the younger, more impudent sister decides instead to pursue Charles' uncle, the snooty, married diplomat Edgar (
Thierry Lhermitte), and when a mysterious man (
Matthew Modine) starts stalking Roxy. Eventually, the rest of the plucky Walker clan has to come to the aid of the siblings.
Stockard Channing and
Sam Waterston co-star. ~ Matthew Tobey, All Movie Guide