Nettoyage à sec (1997)

Director:

Anne Fontaine

Writers:

Anne Fontaine (writer)
Gilles Taurand (writer)

Release Date:

29 January 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

A bored couple takes in a young man who turns their lives inside out

Plot Keywords:

Cleaning | Drag Queen | Homosexual | Transvestite | Erotica

Awards:

3 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Miou-Miou	...	Nicole Kunstler
Charles Berling	...	Jean-Marie Kunstler
Stanislas Merhar	...	Loïc
Mathilde Seigner	...	Marylin
Nanou Meister	...	Yvette
Noé Pflieger	...	Pierre
Michel Bompoil	...	Robert
Christopher King	...	Steve
Gérard Blanc	...	Bertrand
Betty Petristy	...	Madame Bertrand
Bobby Pacha	...	Patron du Ranch
Corinne Nejman	...	Josiane
Thérèse Gehin	...	Maryse
Joëlle Grégorie	...	Travestie aux bananes
Pascal Allio	...	Danseur

Also Known As:

Dry Cleaning (USA)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

France | Spain

Language:

French | English | Russian

Color:

Color

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Australia:M | France:U | Sweden:15

Filming Locations:

Basel, Kanton Basel Stadt, Switzerland

Company:

Cinéa

Soundtrack:

Texas Rocker

An excellent film, in direction and acting, with an abrupt and surprising ending.

This story of a French couple, middle class business people leading a life that they only find boring when they encounter a young, free spirited and unisexual man, takes some weird turns but does it with excellent performances and direction. Though the ending was a bit abrupt, as well as shocking, getting there was the fun - well, pleasure, maybe. The young man has an affair with the woman, and is clearly drawn toward the man as while. The husband's reaction is the key to the drama, and the actor's subtle signs of being tempted, against his nature and resisting all the way , are truly fine acting. The whole cast is excellent, and the sensual , open tone of the movie, mixing the fairly straight-laced couple, their young child, middle class friends and family, and the worldly young man and depicting them, ultimately, as not really all that different, is almost comforting...until that ending, which came rather fast and furious after a more slow moving development, shattering the mood. Still, this is a really fine job of direction, and development of characters who all seem far more common than we would think if merely being told about them.