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FRANCE 1993 83 minutes |
Synopsis: Alexandre has been through the cycle of seeing the initial passion in romantic encounters burn off and having the relationship become routine and boring. He thinks that this happens for two reasons: the courtship and wooing dance ends, and mere sex enters the picture. He is determined to prevent this cycle from happening with his latest love-interest, a sexy young woman named Fanfan (Sophie Marceau). However, despite the delightful, romantic and inventive ways he discovers for them to spend time together, Fanfan finds his refusal to go to bed with her increasingly irritating; their burgeoning relationship is seriously jeopardized by Alexandre's attachment to his plan. This film is based on the director's best-selling novel, which was translated into almost two dozen languages. ****** Review: Alexandre Jardin made a promising directorial debut with this inspired adaptation of his novel "Fanfan", published in 1990. Whilst the first half of the film feels unconvincing and painfully superficial in places, things improve significantly in its second half. Compelling performances from Vincent Perez and Sophie Marceau transform what looks at first like a routine romantic comedy into something far richer, far more compassionate. The second part of the film also contains some moments of artistic brilliance, notably the Cocteau-esque sequence in which the two lovers attempt to make contact through a mirrored partition. Although there are a few unexplained gaps in the narrative – some more back story about Alexandre might have helped – writer-director Alexandre Jardin succeeds in weaving a tender love story that is both original and hauntingly poetic. ...© James Travers 2006
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