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L'Auberge Espagnole (The Spanish Apartment)
Actors: Kevin Bishop, Cristina Brondo, Javier Coromina, Federico D'Anna, and Cécile De France
Rated: R (Restricted)
Retail Price (not our price): $9.98
Release Date: 2003-12-23
Theatrical Release Date: 2002
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Run Time: 122 minutes
Format: Array
Format: Anamorphic, Color, Dolby, Dubbed, DVD-Video, Full Screen, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
Discs: 1


Editorial Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):

1) Amazon.com
An absolute delight, L'Auberge Espagnole captures a moment in a life, seemingly about nothing and everything all at once. Xavier (Romain Duris), a young Parisian not sure what his life is about, decides to spend a year in Barcelona studying economics--leaving behind his unhappy girlfriend (Audrey Tautou, Amélie) but joining an international mix of students in a hectic, crowded apartment. Arguing and partying with his British, German, Danish, and Italian roommates--not to mention getting lessons in love from a Belgian lesbian (Cecile De France) so that he can seduce a friend's wife (Judith Godreche, Ridicule)--Xavier learns more about life than economics. The movie, beautifully shot on digital video, has a freshness and spontaneity that make its simple events--a series of arguments and flirtations--feel like a miniature portrait of the European Union as it comes into focus (the title can be translated as "Euro pudding"). Vibrant, charming, and all-around entertaining. --Bret Fetzer

2) Description
Seven sexy co-eds. One Spanish apartment. No rules. A single year of learning turns into an outrageous adventure of a lifetime in this "fresh, captivating comedy" (Newsday) that has audiences and critics cheering around the world! Xavier (Romain Duris) is a straight-laced French college senior who moves to Barcelona as part of a exchange program, much to the dismay of his beautiful Martine (Audrey Tautou). But sharing cramped quarters with students from all over Europe quickly leads to multi-cultural chaos as Xavier gets a hilarious, eye-opening lesson on how to live, love, laugh?and party!

Customer Reviews (supplied by Amazon.com):
Average Customer Rating: 4.0 out of 5

1) Wonderfully Written   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
Not just entertaining, it's just plain good. Sharply written and with an authentic feel. As soon as I saw it I hopped on here and bought it. Along with Russian Dolls, a fitting sequel.

2) Awakening to Love and Life ...   [Rating: 4 out of 5]
Xavier is a handsome young Parisian college man who is looking to improve his economic future. He learns from his father's friend who deals in international business that with the European Union, there are great business opportunities by knowing Spanish. He assures Xavier of a position but he needs to obtain a his degree. Xavier participates in an international student exchange program where he will attend University in Barcelona to complete his major. His Spanish is a bit rusty ... He bids good-bye to his tearful but emotionally needy girlfriend Martine and his mother as he boards his flight for Spain.Xavier meets a French couple on the airplane who help him acclimate to Barcelona, the husband is a neurologist, his wife stays at home. Xavier does some apartment hunting but without fruition. The couple let him stay at their home until he finds a permanent situation to meet his needs during his senior year of college. With great difficulty, he finds an ad for an apartment that suits his wallet size: it is an apartment shared by students from all over Europe: an English girl, a German young man, a Belgian, an Italian, a Spanish young woman, and a student from Denmark.Xavier's long distance relationship with his girlfriend Martine suffers greatly while he is away. She comes to visit him in Spain and lays a lot of emotional guilt on him. Xavier enters into a new and unanticipated social life with his roommates. They go to tapas bars, dance and get drunk ... as their last year of college draws to a close. One new roommate is needed to make ends meet: they interview a Spanish girl, who it turns out is a lesbian. Xavier and she bond in friendship. She provides him invaluable advice in gratifying a woman's sexual needs. Xavier becomes socially involved with Anne-Marie, going on walking tours, to the beach and to historical places in Barcelona. This relationships evolves into a sexual liason. Amazingly enough the husband does not find out but eventually he suspects something is up between them when Xavier begins to have visions of Erasmus (the Renaissance man after whom the college student exchange program is named). Xavier explains his hallucinations to the neurologist who does various tests and by chance discovers Xavier has some impure thoughts about his wife. This is a frolicking, funny "coming of age" story where Xavier discovers his true self and along the way, comes to some serious realizations about life. He also manages to enjoy himself on a wild and crazy ride with his international friends during his last year of college. This is a highly recommended entertaining and amusing escape-from-reality type film. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]

3) Great Movie in four languages   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
No really, in the course of the movie, I counted four. It is a great movie. Oh, and unlike the cover of the DVD would lead you to believe, Audrey Tatou plays a mostly minor role in this film.

4) Love the film   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
This is a great film. It takes me back to my time abroad in Spain. I have watched it half a dozen times and purchased for friends where were abroad there. Captures the escence of many of my experiences.

5) The Spanish Apartment   [Rating: 5 out of 5]
This fizzy romantic adventure combines screwball laughs with eye-opening student-travel mishaps among the youthful, sexually vibrant cast of characters, who hail from all over Europe. Klapisch handles the madness with delightful cheek, even deploying split screens and other visual devices to heighten the comic tensions. Duris is a winner as our first-person narrator and angst-filled protagonist, credibly parsing the benefits and drawbacks of a future in French bureaucracy. "Amelie" star Tautou and Godresch provide strong support as the women he must choose between. For a spicy trip to festive Spain, book a room at "L'Auberge Espagnole."