A Beautiful, Intelligent, and Sensitive Contemporary Love Story
Arnaud Viard has written and directed a quintessentially French love story that simply has everything going for it. The dialogue is richly imbued with both light hearted comedic elements as well as radiant moments of verismo that make this little story one that, once seen, will be indelible in the memory of the viewer. This is a love story awash with all of the nuances of contemporary life in Paris - and in the entire world.
Antoine (Julien Boisselier) is a thirty-three year old actor, having given up his business career to pursue his dream, yet a young man without a partner. Serendipity strikes on the Metro as Antoine sees a shy woman his age Clara (Julie Gayet) and from the silence surrounding their exchanged looks it is obvious something will happen. Antoine demurely writes a note on his pad and without speaking shows it to Clara. Clara responds with a written message, and the game ends with Clara giving Antoine her telephone number! At a surprise birthday party that...
depends upon how you look at things...
and where you are in life. this move is heartbreaking. because its about a burgeoning love that faces what so many of us see as an insurmountable obstacle. antoine (beautiful) falls in love with clara (more beautiful), but its clear early on that antoine has issues with selfishness. its no wonder then when they find out that clara is hiv positive, he rejects her. in the months that ensue, he pines for her. how could he not. its clara. his dream woman. she is the most amazing woman that he could ever want to have and to love. and he cant let go of her illness. it asks of the viewer: how do you view this illness? do you think that it damages a persons value. this is why i titled this post as i have. its very easy to determine that you would do one thing or another if you are not faced with this situation. one cannot help but understand antoines fears: will i lose her, will i contract this disease too, will she get sicker and suffer before my eyes, rendering me helpless. will i fall even...
The French "Love Story"
An ardent Francophile of late, I stumbled on this French movie on Amazon Prime fully intending to continue surfing if it didn't shape up in the first few minutes. Despite the unimaginative title, it hooked me from the beginning and held me throughout. A beautifully acted and tender love story in which there are no villains. It is a quintessentially French version of America's "Love Story", but in the age of HIV. Like Jennie, the female lead in "Love Story", Clara gives a hauntingly sad and wistful performance that leaves you thinking about what true love means and the price it sometimes demands.
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