Two Tickets To Greece (2022) (Les Cyclades)

Two Tickets To Greece, directed by Marc Fitoussi with French stars, is an odd-couple comedy that looks beautiful and is rather predictable.

Two Tickets To Greece
★★★★★

CAUTION: Here be spoilers

Two Tickets to Greece could be as lovely as the Greek islands it is set in but it’s so, so predictable. Two women, who were school best friends, meet up again later in life (engineered by the 20-year-old son ((Alexandre Desrousseaux) of one of them) and are set up by him to go on holiday to the Greek island of Amorgos together because he thinks it will cheer his mother up.

Two Tickets To Greece is an odd-couple (French) movie: I can understand how The Big Blue (Luc Besson’s 1988 cult movie set on that island) had that effect on both of them as teenagers and their obsession lasted into middle age. But with age they have become more like their younger selves and it appears they are now so ill-suited.

Sensible Blandine (Olivia Côte) is a conventional radiology technician and introvertedly depressed after the break-up of her marriage. Magalie (Laure Calamy) is unconventional, a massive “freeloader”, and an extrovert, flirty freelance (unemployed) music journalist – “a bit over the top” – and that’s an understatement. Blandine finds her more than a little irritating.

Of course, the holiday doesn’t go to plan, but the Greek islands look mouth-wateringly lovely. In what is the highspot of the film, the two woman are given luxurious hospitality and more (on Mykonos, of course) by bohemian artist Bijou (an unusual long-white-haired role for Dame Kristen Scott Thomas) and her hunky Greek artist husband (Panos Koronis).

Two Tickets To Greece is a frothy, silly comedy with medical issues thrown in along the way. Greece has been/is life-changing for all three women. The film is about female solidarity. And change and tolerance and having fun. And learning and hugging. So it’s just right for the summer holiday season, especially if you haven’t had a holiday for some time.

The setting will have you drooling but the film is unlike the joyful exuberance of the other Greek-island-set Mamma Mia films or even Shirley Valentine. It’s the visual equivalent of the Hallmark Channel. And roller blades make an appearance. Young Hearts Run Free!!

Two Tickets To Greece is released on 17 May 2024 in the UK.