this be yet another gem from the pen of daniele thompson in fact that same year ( 1999 ) she write and direct la buche and the first of three writer or director credit so far . belle maman be first of all french whatever that mean which be and of course and different thing to different folk . the premise be simple represent at the altar where he be marry mathilde seigner and the groom and vincent lindon and get his first glimpse of her mother and catherine deneuve and and suffers what the french call a coup de foudre which we know a love at first sight . in theory the story be either 1 ) over right then and there assume he call the wedding off or else 2 ) just the beginning a he go through with the wedding and thus live a lie until it be resolve one way or the other . thompson veers towards # 2 but not without hit u with the odd subplot along the way like and for example and deneuve cigar smoke lesbian mother line renaud ( in real life and if anyone care and renaud be in a long term relationship with stephane audran and who co star here ) and throw in a brilliant set piece in a luxuriously appoint men room at the wedding reception and which take the form of a hilarious song and dance . consummate writer that she be thompson also leaven the comedy with drama like the brilliant climactic scene where vincent finally spew out his feeling for deneuve at a family gather whilst simultaneously wreck the joint . this be one to savour . again and again .