Review of My Girlfriend`s Boyfriend

Introduction

Ah, romantic comedies, they bring to mind a vision of Meg Ryan, Hugh Grant or Sandra Bullock, in a light, frothy Hollywood farce, perfectly tailored around their particular character and always following the golden rules of the rom-com. It`s a tried and tested genre that has been a golden goose for the Hollywood studios since the days of Cary Grant and Doris Day. It`s almost sacrilegious to even consider another way of doing things, but that is where Eric Rohmer`s My Girlfriend`s Boyfriend comes in. No fluffy soundtrack, no comedy of errors, and no scripted gags, yet it turns out to be remarkably refreshing and original.

The plot is summarised above, and more succinctly than I could manage.

Video

The picture is given a 4:3 transfer, and while IMDB states the ratio at 1.66:1, I was hard pressed to see any signs of cropping. The image itself is reasonably transferred, with no artefacts intruding. It`s basically as good as the source material, and as the film is shot in a very realistic style without visual flourishes, then at times it does appear a little dull and soft. There is occasional moiré though. However the location is stupendous, with the story taking place in a new civic development that is a curious mix of the urban and rural, a village close to the heart of Paris. This is a Region 0 disc by the way.

Audio

The sound is given a basic DD 2.0 mono French soundtrack, which given the propensity of dialogue is perfectly sufficient. There is no music at all, adding to the realism and is remarkably refreshing. English subtitles are there if you are wondering.

Features

The extras consist of the kind of trailer that condenses the whole film down into two minutes. It`s not funny, it`s not smart and the only upside is that there are no subtitles to fill in what`s left of the story. Do not watch until after the film.

Finally there is a short film from Eric Rohmer, Changing Landscapes, which is a 22-minute documentary looking at the industrialisation of France. It`s a poetic lament at the loss of heritage and nature that is at times bittersweet and apt to lapse into rhapsody, but is compelling nonetheless.

Conclusion

My Girlfriend`s Boyfriend is a refreshing change from what we usually consider to be a romantic comedy. All the bright colours and fluffy hokum that usually comes with the territory is absent, and what is left is a remarkably light and gentle paced exploration of the lives of four young people. It has an honesty and realism about it that makes the story somehow more tender and personal. It avoids all that good guy bad guy hoopla and the emotions that are engendered are in a way more engaging. This isn`t a film about heady passions, and whirlwind romances, but real feelings and discussing those feelings. When did you last see a film like that?

The performances are uniformly excellent and engaging, while the direction is languid and scenes often tarry and linger. Yet the light relaxed nature that is the film`s strength also is a weakness. My ultimate impression of My Girlfriend`s Boyfriend is one of very little substance, and while the film is gently amusing, it really only has one moment approaching farce. Nonetheless, it is a 90-minute build up to a sweet little punchline, which is surprisingly refreshing thanks to the cast`s performances.

If you are looking for a disc to test out that new system, then this may not be up your street, but if you are in the mood for something different, then My Girlfriend`s Boyfriend is an uplifting take on romantic comedies, which to my amazement is not at all contrived. Well worth a rent.