Improve French film -- cut talk (10)
I believe the answer is:
ameliorate
'improve' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'french film cut talk' is the wordplay.
'french film' becomes 'amelie' (2001 French film).
'cut' means to remove the last letter.
'talk' becomes 'orate' (to orate is to give a speech).
'amelie' with its final letter taken off is 'ameli'.
'ameli'+'orate'='AMELIORATE'
(Other definitions for ameliorate that I've seen before include "seen to improve" , "Make (something) better" , "Make (a bad thing) better" , "Become better" .)