Adrian Sweeney
It just is. A boy dreams of becoming the husband of a hairdresser and when he grows up does. That's very nearly the whole plot. Romantic, funny, sexy, sad.
guycorhuo
This simple history is at the same time; funny (those wool bathing suits), sad (poetry, here, is sadness), amusing (that mesmerizing Arab dance) and moving (extreme love story). You feel your heart caught all the running time. It's a great example how to represent in cinema what's true love. A couple alone with themselves and their love. Nothing else needed, nothing else missed. As Antoine says: "No friends, no sons, nobody, just us". Even that's not accurate, but it's as they feel it. A very beautiful movie that let you at the end shuddered and melancholic...and envious of what the characters have had the luck to live. A must see. Absolutely recommended for romantic people. 8'5/10
ccthemovieman-1
Being a Patrice Leconte-directed film, you know this is going to be nicely photographed with a lot of Sergio Leone-type facial closeups. I always appreciate that, and especially here when it is the beautiful face of Anna Galiena featured often. Some of the "portraits" of her in here would make magnificent paintings.The story isn't much but it kept my interest in an odd way. The film had some strange scenes and some strange viewpoints on life, although I noticed much of the same secular and superstitious liberalness in many films from France. Unfortunately, that secular viewpoint can lead to tragic endings as is the case in this story which finished in a shocking manner.However, there is some nice humor in this drama, too, such as the funny dance scenes by Jean Rochefort.One thing about French films: they don't need a lot of action to keep your interest. They are wonderful storytellers and I usually enjoy their films, despite their odd philosophies on life.
DaveTheNovelist (WriterDave)
The French are the masters of melancholy. I don't think I've ever been more pleased by sadness than after watching this beautiful film. A little boy obsesses over his hairdresser as a child and then finally fulfills his fantasy nearly forty years later when he marries a stunningly gorgeous owner of a barber shop on a whim. The story is simple, and though it may leave some viewers wanting more in terms of character development, it will play well if you see it as a fable. The two are madly in love with each other and their whole life revolves around the barber shop and their customers. Quirky humor, insightful observances about everyday life and people's behavior, and superb photography (especially of the luminous actress playing the hairdresser) make this a highly enjoyable film to watch. This is a wonderful look at how lust can grow into love, and how love can turn tragic and then hopeful again. Bravo to director Leconte. C'est la vie!
AD
