30 second bottom line: L’Auberge Espanol is an accessible, riveting coming-of-age-story about a young French man’s experiences studying abroad in Barcelona. He moves in with five students from different countries and learns about love, sex, foreign relations, and being a man.

Story Line: Xavier (Romain Duris) is a normal, academically ambitious 24-year-old living in France with his hippy mom. He goes away to school to experience new things, win his independence, and escape the dead-end provincialism of his small town. Xavier decides to study in Barcelona in the so-called Erasmus program named after the great Dutch thinker. He leaves behind his serious and emotional sweetheart, Martine (well played by "Amelie’s" Audrey Tautou), and she seems much more committed to the relationship than he is.

He moves in with a diverse group of international students and they form their own European Union. Sparks fly when a jingoistic young British man moves in and systematically insults everyone. Xavier can’t afford to go home to visit Martine, and he starts sleeping with the comely wife of his friend, a doctor.

He is torn between the girlfriend at home and his married mistress near school. Things become more complicated when he asks an attractive classmate to move in with the crew. He has a crush on her, but unbeknownst to him, she has a big secret. When the tension gets to be too much, he starts seeing visions of the Dutch humanist/satirist, Erasmus.

Tell me more about it: The film was inspired by the writer/director’s visit with his sister when she was studying abroad in Barcelona. She was studying Erasmus, and like the main character, she had housemates from different countries.

It won the Cesar (the French counterpart to the Oscars) for best female newcomer, and it also received five other nominations including best film and best director.

The eclectic soundtrack features a fine assortment of international artists working in different styles such as classical, Afro pop, classical, and flamenco including contributions from the British alternative band, Radiohead, the Parisian house/dance duo, Daft Punk, and the Mali blues performer, Ali Farke Toure.

"L’Auberge Espagnol" uses many visual gimmicks such as frantic fast cuts and split scenes simultaneously showing different characters. They help make the film diverting and playful. Like Run Lola Run, "L’Auberge Espagnol" ultimately has more style than substance, but it’s still irresistible.

The Erasmus Student Network is a real organization, which tries to foster relations between international students. Their website is http://www.esn.org.