Who is the worst person you could fall in love with, and what would be the worst moment to fall for them? One possible scenario is presented in the comedy of errors Belle Maman. Antoine (Vincent Lindon) has decided to make an honest woman of his girlfriend, pregnant Severine (Mathilde Seigner), but during the ceremony he sees a beautiful woman and falls instantly in love. The woman in question happens to be Severine's mother, Lea (Catherine Deneuve, and how can you really blame a guy for being infatuated with her? ). Lea seems to be more than a bit interested in Antoine as well, but she already has a boyfriend, Gregoire (Idris Elba), a native of the Caribbean island Lea now calls home. This potentially messy situation just gets sloppier when they all travel to the Bahamas together to celebrate the 70th birthday of Lea's mother, Nicou (Line Renaud), a tart-tongued lesbian with a taste for cigars. Though not especially well received, Belle Maman was a box office success in France, doubtless due to a sharp comic performance by Vincent Lindon and the presence of the always beautiful Catherine Deneuve.
~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide