Felix and Lola (2001)
"Félix et Lola" (original title)

Director:

Patrice Leconte

Writers:

Claude Klotz, Patrice Leconte

Stars:

Charlotte Gainsbourg, Philippe Torreton, Alain Bashung

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charlotte Gainsbourg	...	Lola
Philippe Torreton	...	Félix
Alain Bashung	...	The singer
Philippe du Janerand	...	The man in grey
Ahmed Guedayia	...	Karim
Karim Soutan	...	Ludo
Muriel Combeau	...	Arlette
Didier Cauchy	...	Max
Emmanuelle Bataille	...	Marina
Géraldine Faraoni	...	Margot
Charlotte Maury-Sentier	...	Madame Lulu
Michel Such	...	Frantz
René Remblier	...	Albert
Nadia Barentin	...	Madame Irzou
Jacques Vertan	...	Non

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

lost soul | carnival | bumper car | love | fairground | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

7 March 2001 (France)

Also Known As:

The Fun of the Fair

Company Credits

Production Co:

Ciné B, France 2 Cinéma, Zoulou Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

89 min

Sound Mix:

DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

User Reviews

A slight pleasure

Felix et Lola is definitely a minor entry in Patrice Leconte's resume, but slight as it is I actually found myself enjoying it more than the more showy La Fille sur la Ponte. There is barely enough plot for a short film - Felix operates the bumper cars at a fairground and becomes infatuated with the obsessively secretive Lola when she asks for a job

• but there's enough atmosphere and film-making savvy to compensate.

Indeed, it's pleasures are far more cinematic than narrative, whether it's Leconte's great sense of place or even little, possibly even accidental details - there's a striking shot of Lola walking along a road where the hemline of her skirt starts at exactly the same point as the hedge line in the background of the scope frame creating a brief moment of visual symmetry that I found inexplicably wonderful for absolutely no reason.

The final revelation about Lola's past and the singer who is - possibly

• stalking her that so many found trite I actually found very apt,

especially set against an environment where strangers are seeking moments of anonymous excitement. It seems both right and believable, and Leconte also manages to pull off the test of love that she sets Felix, which could have been so ridiculously melodramatic. There's also a lovely moment with a photo booth, where Felix waits outside and asks Lola to smile if they have a future and frown if they don't: that way she doesn't have to say anything. Her actual response is very different and, for this admirer of Rene Magritte's work at least, rather clever.

Gainsbourg, who can be irritating or flat with the wrong director gives her role much more than is on the page, although Philippe Torreton's performance isn't quite so impressive. He's too good an actor not to be good, but at the same time you get the sense that there are limitations to his range: suffering, frustration or obsession are his forte, but the lighter notes can look awkward on him - he doesn't seem built for happiness.

It's a minor film, but one I found surprisingly enjoyable. Available on DVD in France with English subtitles.