Two strangers meet in Nantes (a town in France), he is a local furniture restorer, and she a visiting fabric designer. There is an immediate attraction to each other and they end up having a romantic candlelit supper together. After dinner he drives her back to her Hotel and they are both reluctant to part as they must indeed, as she is returning to Paris in the morning, and besides both of them have significant others at home. He leans forward and asks for one kiss to say adieu, but although she is tempted she refuses the request and at his prompting she tells him a story why she will not kiss.
It’s about a man and a woman she knows in Paris who are the closest of friends and share everything together. She is happily married to a man she loves, and he has a long term girlfriend. When the girlfriend moves away, he desperately craves for some physical intimacy. He fails miserably with a rather hilarious encounter with a prostitute, so instead asks his best friend if she would help him out. She eventually agrees and they very awkwardly start to make out. Although she is up for intercourse, she is however reluctant to kiss him as she claims if she doesn’t like it, she will be totally turned off, and she does like it, she is worried what it will lead too.
She was right to have these reservation as and when she finds he is not only a great kisser but the sexual chemistry with her best friend is far better than with her husband, one thing leads to another and they end up falling madly in love.
It is a ridiculous story …. and I’m not even going to hint at how it ends ….. but it is nonetheless totally enchanting. The deadpan way they overly cautious approach their first attempts at having sex in her sterile minimalist bedroom is completely hilarious. Polite to the point of being almost cold, they ask each other’s permission to make every single move as they undress until the passion finally kicks in.
Everyone is extremely well-mannered, and being the typically movie version of average Parisians (!) they are obviously well-dressed, cultured & sophisticated in this light hearted boulevard comedy that almost seems like a modern day farce. It is a tad preposterous, but nevertheless totally charming and a must see for any die hard hopeless romantic.
Written, directed and starring Emmanuel Mouret who has on occasion being compared to Woody Allen, although thankfully Mr Allen keeps his clothes on when he is on the screen.
P.S. Made in 2007, it was released on DVD in 2009.
★★★★★★★★
Labels: French, romantic comedy
