AllMovie

It's hard to imagine a bigger surprise than New Wave darling Alain Resnais directing an incredibly frothy 1925 musical comedy, yet that's exactly what has happened in Not on the Lips. What's perhaps even more surprising is what a charming little exercise in frivolity it turns out to be. Resnais is playing it straight with Lips, allowing only the barest touch of irony into the proceedings; for the most part, he treats this fluffiest of pieces with the same respect he did his earlier classic films. Not that "respect" equals "serious," for taking a heavy approach to Lips would destroy it. Instead, Resnais directs as if he were baking a cream puff, keeping things deliciously light. There are few fancy camera tricks here; instead, Resnais wisely favors direct, head-on shots that are generally fairly lengthy. This adds to the film's flavor and charm -- as do the lush lensing, the gorgeous costumes, and the lovingly created sets. Even more important is the cast. Their singing varies, but they all play the roles straight and, from the perfectly suave Pierre Arditi to the sparkling Audrey Tautou to the amusingly American Lambert Wilson, are ideally cast. Some fans of Resnais may be distressed to see him working with such "unchallenging" material, and others may find the entire thing a bit too inconsequential to their tastes, but those who enjoy beautiful baubles should be thoroughly entertained.