The movie How Much Do You Love Me? is a French-Italian romantic comedy-drama, directed by Bertrand Blier in 2005. The film stars Monica Bellucci as Daniela, Bernard Campan as François, and Gérard Depardieu as Charly, a neighborhood gangster who becomes François' friend.
In the opening scene, François visits a bar in Pigalle, the red-light district of Paris, and meets Daniela, a beautiful Italian prostitute. He falls in love with her instantly and decides to offer her a generous sum of money to live with him as his wife. Daniela accepts the proposal, and they move into a luxurious apartment together.
François is a shy and introverted man who has never had a girlfriend before. He is also a hypochondriac and suffers from various imaginary illnesses. Daniela, on the other hand, is a bold and confident woman who enjoys sex and money.
As they start living together, François becomes obsessed with Daniela and constantly demands her attention and affection. He also starts spending his lottery winnings recklessly, buying expensive gifts and pampering Daniela. However, their relationship becomes complicated when Charly, a gangster who owns the building they live in, begins to take an interest in Daniela.
Charly offers Daniela a lot of money to leave François and live with him. Daniela is tempted by his offer, but she also realizes that she has developed genuine feelings for François. In the end, Daniela chooses to stay with François, and they both come to accept that their relationship was built on money but has now transformed into something more meaningful.
The film is a humorous and satirical take on love, money, and relationships. It explores the idea of whether money can buy love and happiness and whether a relationship based on monetary exchange can ever become genuine. The performances of the lead actors, particularly Monica Bellucci, have been praised by critics for their depth and nuance.
