Who but Mathieu Amalric could take a canonic 17th century play by Pierre Corneille—with alexandrine couplets intact—and conjure it into something completely fresh and modern? Working with members of the venerable Comédie Française, all of whom were familiar with their roles from the stage, Amalric updates the action of Pierre Corneille’s L’illusion comique to modern-day Paris. A father, looking for his son, Clindor, who left home years ago, employs the assistance of a wizard, Alcandre—in this case a hotel concierge who can see all (past, present and future) in his hotel’s bank of security cameras. The Hotel du Louvre and its bars, suites and parking garage provide the contemporary backdrop for Clindor’s tragicomic comings and goings and his dealings with his warrior boss (a computer gaming executive) and his pursuit of the lovely Isabelle (in punkish leather) who has been promised to another man.

L’illusion comique, France 2010, 77 min. Written by Mathieu Amalric. Photographed by Isabelle Ravazet. With Muriel Mayette, Jean-Baptiste Malartre, Alain Lenglet, Loïc Corbery, Denis Podalydes. Le Pacte.