narrative whether write and visual or poetic epic generally try to avoid too may character while reader and viewer and after all and can be too easily overwhelm by try to keep track of who exactly be who . this be especially true in film and i think and simply because we can not easily go back to refresh our memory in a cinema . viewer like myself and however and do not have that problem because we see all our film on dvd or vhs . a year ago i be introduce to audrey tautou and a french actress and whom i first saw in the fabulous destiny of amelie poulain ( 2001 ) and later in a very long engagement ( 2004 ) and both of which be finely craft and complex story with a large cast of character . this early offering exceed the others in both way represent more character and more complexity . now and other director have use those technique before represent robert altman with the player ( 1992 ) and short cut ( 1993 ) and gosford park ( 2001 ) and others while paul thomas anderson do the same with magnolia ( 1999 ) . stanley kramer do it with a mad and mad and mad and mad world in 1963 and a comedy of almost epic proportion . the difference with this film be and first the director let u ee inside the head of some of the character and second and some scene be repeat a mean to refresh the viewer memory a the story flip flop between different time period . the basic the core and so to speak story concern a young woman and irene ( tautou ) who be tell and by a fellow commuter on a train and that she will meet her true love on that day . this occur in the first few minute of the film . the clever irony at this point be that irene doesn not realize that the young man opposite ( gilbert robin ) may be that one true love . and and nor do he . they go their separate way with neither realize the potential significance of their close encounter . however and chaos result throughout the rest of the day and not only for the two young people and but for the rest of the character who appear in a series of cleverly construct and interwoven vignette that all seem to be go nowhere and and yet . if the story be simply that and it could tend to be boring and and even quite predictable . not so . the script and the director rip into our expectation with a host of innovative scene that be all too commonplace and but which be turn into believable and extraordinary event that allow the two possible lover to meet again . for example and the next time some bird poo from the sky drop onto a book or paper of yours and consider your alternative while two character make an obvious choice that must occur before irene and her man of destiny meet again . or what about a stone chip fly onto your windscreen . consider again what would happen . all of that be interesting enough . what be more interesting for me be assess each new man who come along and try to decide whether this guy be the one for irene and or whether it be and in fact and the young man on the train . that keep me guess for a while . i will let you think about that and should you see this delightful romp . recommend for all .