For a Netflix rom-com with a title sounding like it came straight out of your teenage sibling’s smutty collection, French Lover isn’t all that bad. Truth be told, my standards for romance movies on Netflix are so low that when I’m hit with something even a little bit different, I’m immediately surprised. However, while this film manages to subvert some typical tropes, what it truly lacks is romance. French Lover tells the story of a film star who is knocked off his high horse by a common waitress when he’s in the middle of a public breakup. When he realizes she doesn’t care who he is and will play it feisty regardless, he goes after her in his convertible, as if no one in Paris is going to notice a massive film star following a girl around. He then manages to give her a ride home and invite himself in, but don’t worry, we don’t switch to the thriller genre. This is when the story takes off, and we’re hit with the usual rom-com montages and the rest of the shebang.
The cool thing about French Lover is that it doesn’t villainize the male actor partner, despite him being something of a playboy. It’s also generally an “exotic” woman, i.e., a person of color, with a White man when it comes to films like this, but this one’s gone reverse, which is quite fun. But that’s not all; it is also a feminist film in that it’s not the woman who is helpless and wonders what to do when something needs fixing. Instead, it is the male actor who continues to call his manager at the smallest inconvenience. On the surface, this doesn’t seem like a big deal, but it’s the biggest trope subversion here. Not only is Marion independent, but she also knows how to fix cars, how to tell people off, and, most importantly, how to make her own financial decisions. While she does get thrown out of her flat, she’s not left helpless. She’s also got a loving family, who support her (we love loving sisters!). I think romantic comedy is a hard genre to get right, contrary to popular opinion. The misconception is that we’ll watch anything we’re served up if it’s got two good-looking people and a fantasy story attached to them. Fortunately, French Lover doesn’t take the genre it’s representing so lightly, though I wish it were 20 minutes shorter somehow.
As a French film, this one is way less raunchy than expected, a reminder that the title of the film literally makes it sound like the dirtiest piece of media releasing this week. This is unusual, and I kind of liked that it stuck to being sweet instead of going the sexy route. In the style of Notting Hill, this is a film about chance encounters, yet it feels like everything is happening way too fast. In this case, we have a haughty actor with a straightforward waitress rather than a sweet actress and Hugh Grant being Hugh Grant. But I must admit my favorite part of the film has to be the dog, Claudine, and you’ll know why as soon as you see the movie.
Both leading actors are well known, despite this being a directorial debut for Nina Rives. Omar Sy is globally recognized for his role in Lupin, so for international fans, this film introduces us to a new side of him as a performer. What’s funny is that his character is concerned about being relegated to a “supporting” role, and I think it’s safe to say that the role he’s done in French Lover is a similar one. Though he’s very clearly the lead of the film. Also, can I just say, I had no idea these two people were in their 40s? I genuinely thought this was your typical mid-30s midlife crisis film, but it’s an actual midlife crisis film. Sara Giraudeau is also great in this role. I wish we could’ve seen her with her signature short hair (from the little Googling I did), but this is part of the character, I suppose. I did say the film lacks romance, but that’s not to say these two people don’t have chemistry. Their conversations are limited, and there’s just a spark missing in the plot, you know?
The film is a little bit dull for some reason, and my general complaint about Netflix shows and films is how the color grading is overdone, but I feel like this one needed the dial turned up a bit. The magical feeling of Paris definitely didn’t come through, and in a way, it was the worst of both worlds, in that it wasn’t bright and shiny like Paris is when it’s a happy film, or dark and gritty like how it is in the thrillers and sad films. This one just doesn’t make the city a main character, which generally adds to the tone of the film. The same applies to the music; there isn’t really anything memorable here, and that’s why, even with its good intentions, this film really doesn’t do much for us as an audience.
I appreciate that this film doesn’t commit to slapstick comedy, and I quite enjoyed one of the first scenes of the film, where an old woman gets annoyed at the fact that Abel is chasing Marion. It’s certainly realistic and sets the tone of the film. But that’s about it. Very soon after that, things start to go downhill. I think there are parts where the film shines, but overall, it’s just forgettable despite the feminist angle and the lead pairing.
At the end of the day, like most Netflix films, this one is easily a background watch. It doesn’t demand too much of your attention, and it’s a little bit too long, with one montage going on for 5 minutes too long. If you’re a fan of the actors, it’ll be pretty fun, but otherwise, I can’t really say I recommend this film. I give French Lover 2.5 out of 5 stars, the extra .5 specifically for the feminist angle. If you do end up watching it, let us know what you thought of that bow dress.
