Comme les autres (2008)

They were the perfect loving couple, well, almost. Emmanuel wanted a child but Philippe didn't. One day, however, Emmanuel decides to take the plunge, at the risk of losing Philippe. But how do you make a child when you are gay?

Director:

Vincent Garenq

Writer:

Vincent Garenq

Stars:

Lambert Wilson, Pilar López de Ayala, Pascal Elbé

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Lambert Wilson	...	Le docteur Emmanuel François Xavier Bernier dit / Manu
Pilar López de Ayala	...	Josefina Maria Paredes dite : Fina
Pascal Elbé	...	Philippe
Anne Brochet	...	Cathy
Andrée Damant	...	Suzanne
Florence Darel	...	Isa
Marc Duret	...	Marc
Liliane Cebrian	...	María, la mère de Fina
Luis Jaime Cortez	...	Luis, le père de Fina
Katherine Erhardy	...	Mme Charpentier - l'assistante sociale (as Catherine Erhardy)
Eriq Ebouaney	...	L'assistant social
Marc Robert	...	Inspecteur de police
Agathe Chouchan	...	Lesbienne 1
Esther Sironneau	...	Lesbienne 2
Juliette Degenne	...	Lesbienne 3

Storyline

Manu, a gay pediatrician in his forties, would be perfectly happy if he could adopt a child and bring him or her up with his partner, Philippe, a lawyer. Where the shoe pinches is that Philippe is pleased with his present life and will not have it spoiled by the invading presence of a wailing brat. Unable to find an agreement the two lovers part. Manu, although shaken, is single-minded about finding a surrogate mother, willing to give him the child he craves. Fina, an Argentine beauty trying to get a job, but held back because of her lack of immigrant papers, might do the job for him in exchange for a marriage of convenience. However, as Blaise Pascal would put it, "The heart has reasons that Reason cannot know".

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Plot Keywords:

gay | gay man has sex with a woman | marriage | marriage of convenience | immigrant | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

Mars Distribution [France] Official site

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

3 September 2008 (France)

Also Known As:

Baby Love

Filming Locations:

Bar Aux Folies - 8 Rue de Belleville, Paris 20, Paris, France

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$5,305,360

Company Credits

Production Co:

Canal+, Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Image Animée, CinéCinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

'Jonathan Zaccai', Julien Boisselier and Consigny were approached to play roles in the film.

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Soundtracks

Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps (Quizás, Quizás, Quizás)
Written by Osvaldo Farrés and Joe Davis
English lyrics by Doris Day
Sung by Doris Day
From album 'Latin For Lovers' (Columbia Records, 1965)

User Reviews

When a gay man in Paris wants to be a father

This is a thoroughly French film. It has a light dry wit running through it with many little surprises along the way. Both humorous and painfully touching at times, it's never less than attentive to its main characters and their plights.

When Manu leans on his partner Phillipe to adopt a child their partnership goes awry. A gay man is not allowed to adopt in France and only married couples are allowed to have children via artificial insemination. This makes things very difficult. To be legal, Manu must marry.

Given the French way with a story this could have turned into farce but the director hues to the narrow path and tells the story without getting silly. I thoroughly enjoyed this film.