Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Monia Chokri | ... | Marie | |
Niels Schneider | ... | Nicolas | |
Xavier Dolan | ... | Francis | |
Anne Dorval | ... | Désirée | |
Anne-Élisabeth Bossé | ... | Jeune femme 1 | |
Olivier Morin | ... | Jeune homme 1 | |
Magalie Lépine Blondeau | ... | Jeune femme 2 (as Magalie Lépine-Blondeau) | |
Éric Bruneau | ... | Jeune homme 2 | |
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Gabriel Lessard | ... | Jeune homme 3 |
Bénédicte Décary | ... | Jeune femme 3 | |
François Bernier | ... | Baise 1 | |
Benoît McGinnis | ... | Baise 2 (as Benoit McGinnis) | |
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François-Xavier Dufour | ... | Baise 3 (as François Xavier Dufour) |
Anthony Huneault | ... | Antonin | |
Patricia Tulasne | ... | Coiffeuse |
In a story interspersed with interview tales of romantic pitfalls, friendship turns to romantic rivalry for gay man Francis and straight woman Marie when a veritable Adonis named Nicolas enters their lives. Sexual tensions mount as Francis and Marie await Nicolas' show of preference. Written by statmanjeff
I love the pace and styling of this modernisation (perhaps) of Jules et Jim. I love the hyper-sensed colouration and classy music-video slo- mo's, with the characters holding their lofty pretty heads even higher, set to a beautifully hip soundtrack.
Moni Chakri, the elegant brunette, who loves Audrey Hepburn is Dolan's character's best friend; hanging out and sharing moments, rather like Will and Grace. When cherubic, blonde curly haired Neils Schreider lands in their pretty laps, all sorts of questions about sexuality are thrown open and explored. It's all done with dignity and poise; no-one screams or hits anyone.
22 year old director Xavier Dolan, (who also stars) for this French- Canadian feature, has got his designer eyes set firmly on indulgence and unpretentious superficiality. Sexual rather than explicit, it is never rude and no one farts, pukes or is seen going to the toilet. These people are to be seen rather than to 'be'; their fairly shallow lives are ones filled with fairly petty annoyances, rather than life and death scenarios.
Sadly, the viewer doesn't really get to like them enough to care too much, though maybe surprisingly, they weren't as precocious or annoying as they could have been. I adopted an approach of just letting the rich visuals and sensual music flow gently over me, rather like chocolate sauce slowly rolling in folds down a steamed pudding.
Nothing knew is said either and perhaps this helps; anything jarring or monumentally profound would be just too much and spoil the pleasure. Not that it's quaint or twee, mind you but this is definitely bespoke designer fitted kitchen drama rather anything to do with an actual sink.