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A delightful French comedy, mixing elements
of farce, drama and music with the open sexuality
of the modern age, "Cote D'Azur" is a real crowd
pleaser. This is a funny and sweet film to be
sure, with all the contrivances of a farce that
one might expect in full effect here, still,
to quibble about its shortcomings would be foolish.
Anyone who doesn't have a good ol' time watching
the film is a fuddy duddy.
A family visiting the seaside home they
have recently inherited from a quirky aunt finds
themselves reveling in all the machinations
of sexual inclinations. The father, Marc, is
disgruntled with his college age daughter who
runs off with a biker the minute the film begins
for a vacation on her own. He's also a little
put off when his wife suggests that their teenage
son Charly might be gay and having an affair
with his best friend Martin, who is also visiting
for the summer. Charly is in fact straight,
and his constant masturbation in the shower
is a source of much of the film's plunging into
sexual discussions. Martin, however, is gay
and finding his teenage crush on Charly harder
and harder to control. Charly is cool with his
friend's sexuality and is actually a little
flattered by his attentions. The wife, meanwhile,
is having her own affair and her lover surprises
her by making his own trek out to the family's
vacation villa to be with her in clandestine
meetings. Sounds like delicious fodder for a
sexual farce doesn't it? It is indeed!
Adding to the fun, the film contains two
musical numbers featuring the cast miming performance
which are just wonderful and cheery. It's hard
not to have your sox charmed right off your
feet by this film. Gilbert Melki has such fun
with his role. And after seeing Valerina Bruni
Tedeschi in the abysmal "5X2"
earlier this year, playing a woman who seemingly
enjoys being date raped, it is wonderful to
learn that she is actually quite a wonderful
actress and comedienne. Everyone looks like
they are having the time of their lives making
this movie and the joyousness is infectious.
Filmmakers Oliver Ducastel and Jacques
Martineau have proved themselves to be the most
delightful, honest and smart gay filmmakers
of the new millennium. Their two previous films,
"The
Adventures of Felix" and "My
Life on Ice," are certainly two of the best
gay films to be released of late. "Cote D'Azur"
may not be as good as their previous work but
it only falls shy by inches. Certainly, this
is one of the very best gay films to be released
in 2005. And with teenage cuties Romain Torres
(as Charly) and Edouard Collin (as Martin) walking
around in nothing but swim trunks or less for
the majority of the film, there simply is no
viable reason imaginable that anyone who loves
fresh air, sunshine and beautiful boys shouldn't
be sitting in a darkened theater watching this
film.
Notes:
In French with subtitles, although much
of the lyrics of the three songs in the film
are not subtitled and even though this may just
be repetition of some lyrics, subtitles throughout
would have still been nice.
Also with Jean Marc Barr.
The film won an award at Berlin when it
premiered there in February 2005. The film premiered
in France the next month and in the USA in April
at Tribeca. Strand picked up the U.S. theatrical
rights and released the film to arthouses beginning
in September.
Viewed at the Dobie in the Egyptian Room
in Austin in November, 2005.
Report Card
Script: A+
Acting: A+
Cinematography\Lighting: A+
Special Effects\Make Up: A+
Music: A+
Final Grade: A+
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