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Movies Forum Index » International Movies Forum » _Boyfriends and Girlfriend_
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 Posted: Thu Oct 04, 2007 8:16 pm |
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I don't remember off-hand whether _Summer_ (or _The
Green Ray_) is part of Rohmer's "comedy and proverb"
series. It is one of those films that non-fans of Rohmers
tend to admire. _Boyfriends and Girlfriends_ is actually
extremely similar, and never gets similar recognition.
In my opinion it is one of Rohmer;s best, because the
protagonist is so compelling. Emmanuelle Chaulet,
who would appear in _All the Vermeers in New York_,
is every bit as neurotic, socially inept, lonely, passive-
aggressive, and moody a pain-in-the-neck as her
immediate predecessor Marie Rivere's in _Summer_.
She is also one of my all-time favorite characters in
Rohmer's universe. She is much more well-educated
and financially well-off than Rivere's lost soul. She
lives in the sticks, a rich suburb of Paris; her apartment
has a stunning view, she can afford to wind-surf every
weekend. And she hasn't had a boyfriend in 2 years.
Her best friend is her opposite in every way -- she
hooks up with men easily, is prone to lying and other
feminine wiles (Chaulet is like a nun by comparison).
She sets up one and then another of Chaulet's potential
boyfriends -- one her soon-to-be-ex boyfriend, the other
a beau-to-be. The best thing about this film is the beautiful
balance between the two of them. Both seem completely
organically written, completely believable despite their
startling traits. (In contrast, I must say that I find
Beatrice Romand's and Fabienne Ogier's characters in
this series somewhat contrived.) The comparison to
_Summer_ also provides society commentary, and this
is one of the few Rohmer films to should minorities --
enjoying themselves in suburban parks. Looking back,
the comedy and proverb series form quite a cohesive,
masterful show. But what else do you expect from
Rohmer! |
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