A Perfect Plan review

Of divorces and men

Why you can trust 12DOVE Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

There’s nothing perfect or planned about Diane Kruger’s madcap scheme in this belatedly released 2012 Gallic romcom. Convinced the women in her family only find true love second time out, Kruger’s dentist Isabelle plans a quickie marriage/divorce, so she’ll be free to enjoy wedded bliss with her real fiancé.

But when her stooge stands her up, she chases travel writer Jean-Yves (Dany Boon) to Kenya on a whim. You don’t need to have seen anything by Richard Curtis to guess what happens next, though neither director Pascal Chaumeil ( Heartbreaker and the recent A Long Way Down ) nor Kruger can make us warm to her.

Freelance writer

James Mottram is a freelance film journalist, author of books that dive deep into films like Die Hard and Tenet, and a regular guest on the Total Film podcast. You'll find his writings on 12DOVE and Total Film, and in newspapers and magazines from across the world like The Times, The Independent, The i, Metro, The National, Marie Claire, and MindFood.