looking for some drama at the french film festival
this one read well - and starring one of france's best
romain duris - he the naked runner from russian doll
and many more besides - always good - done - i'm in
the wedding march and close-up of makeup being applied
ah - nice - but then confusingly a woman seen lying in a coffin
and then a funeral - one lady giving a eulogy for her best friend
back in time to laura (deceased) and claire (orator) at age seven
instant friendship - and then a rapid summary of their lives together
a very tight bond including a lifetime blood oath with cutting of palms
there's a slight hint of dominant/subversive with claire adoring laura
but hey - normal girl stuff methinks - bff's do everything together?
in the flashback laura marries david (duris) and has his baby lucie
closely followed by claire marrying gilles but no babies for them
sadly though laura falls ill and dies - and we're back to the funeral
this all takes less than 5 minutes of screen time but we're moved
powerful - i'm thinking i've defiinitely snagged a great french drama
post funeral and claire is housebound and despondent - gilles supportive
she cannot bring herself to see david - 'lucie reminds me too much of laura'
but one day out on a jog she decides to call in to his house unannounced
so of course bearing in mind the film's title - there's going to be a surprise
no answer at the door - but open - in she goes - we're braced for it
sure enough a woman seen cuddling baby lucie - but quelle horreur!
it's david - dressed as a woman - full makeup, dress and high heels
he confesses to a long-held cross-dresser secret known by laura
convincing claire it helps lucie as she sees the missing mother in him
they agree to keep mum about this - claire names her virginia (yep)
claire's eventual empathy then leads to a shopping expedition
in and out of fashion boutiques and makeup shops in the mall
move over robin williams - slim and tall romain duris nails it
the friendship blossoms with a secret weekend in the country
all very plutonic as they enjoy time at the in-laws large estate
things then get complicated when gilles invites david to dinner
at which it all gets messy and claire secretly tells david to quit
no more virginia - she then resumes her 'normal' life with gilles
but he notices a change - she seems distant but sexually charged
eventually a phone call to david - i miss virginia - so do i he replies
so a secret rendezvous planned at hotel virginia (that almost cloying)
there he as she convinces claire they both want it - and into the sack
nothing held back as this twosome/threesome passionately frolick
but the appearance of mr penis shocks claire and she bolts for it
virginia then seen in tears crossing a busy street and hit by a van
coma - parents-in-law and claire/gilles seen as regular visitors
but it takes a very deliberate action by claire to bring him around
she lovingly dresses him, applies makeup and sings to him/her
he wakes and next thing we see both of them confronting gilles
baby lucie is embraced - ah - how sweet - that has to be la fin?
almost - 'seven years later' announced and lucie leaving school
looking like the same actor playing 7 year old laura and lucie?
and meeting her - a content virginia and a very pregnant claire
and the happy family seen walking hand-in-hand into the sunset
david has his virginia, claire has her laura, lucie has them both
phew - but hmmm - not sure about all that - just too cosy
conclusion - wanted to like it more than i actually did
all very french - but not au natural - kind of - forced
points to romain duris for fabulous acting (darling)
as always good to see some french cinema - next...
