The New Girlfriend (2014)

I'll tell you why so serious

Good story, Not enough for a whole film

It’s not bad or unwatchable but despite the amplitude of the spectacle, the end result is underwhelming.

The plot isn't so bad, but the pace of storytelling is too slow which makes people bored. Certain moments are so obvious and unnecessary for the main plot. I would've fast-forwarded those moments if it was an online streaming. The ending looks like implying a sequel, not sure if this movie will get one

To avoid spoilers I won't discuss the plot. I'll just say that the movie is about people, in all their strangeness, and you'll come to understand and care about even the oddest among them. It's an enjoyable movie. It contains some tasteful but very hot sex scenes that mean it's not for the kids.

This film was a wonderful surprise, a treasure found by accident. I'd never heard of this film, but knowing that Romain Duris and Anais Demoustier were in it was enough to draw me in. I've always enjoyed Duris' work. He has great range as an actor and goes all out in almost everything he does and Demoustier is a beauty whom I first saw in BIRD PEOPLE made only a year earlier.So, the first ten minutes or so went by rather slowly, and I was only half paying attention to the film. But once we see Duris' character David transform into Virginia, and see Demoustier's character Claire react to the transformation, the film begins to flow in the most wonderful way. You're heart really goes out to David/Virginia as judgments fall by the wayside. You see the struggle, the vulnerability, and the joy all at once in Duris' performance, and how it draws Claire in. Demoustier's performance is so subtle and so beautiful in this film and balances with Duris' so effortlessly.The dance these two do, and myriad of topics introduced, gender identity, sexual identity, moral identity, friendship, family all tackled in such a fresh way, i.e. not making too big a deal about it. Also, I found this film to be fun and funny and had a smile on my face throughout. I love the fact that the jokes, the laughs were derived from the shear joy and surprise of the scenes and not made at the expense of any of the characters or groups portrayed in the film. In the end, I felt not only entertained, but enlightened. I love films that create their own world, their own moral universe of codes and standards, their own ideas of what is right and wrong. This film stretched a little of my universe. It surprised me not only with its subject matter and its wonderful details, but offered me a chance to surprise myself with my own feelings towards them

"The New Girlfriend" (2014 release from France; original title "Une nouvelle amie"; 107 min.) brings the story of David and close friends. As the movie opens, we see make up being applied to a woman's face, perhaps for a wedding? No! We are fooled as it turns out to be the woman's funeral. In a flashback we get to know that woman, Laura, and her BFF Claire. Laura ends up marrying David and Claire marries Gilles. Then, tragically, shortly after giving birth to a baby girl, Laura passes away. Claire promises at the funeral to help David and the baby. Shortly thereafter when Claire stops by David's house unexpectedly, she finds him in Laura's clothes, much to her shock. At this point we're at most 15 minutes into the movie, but to tell you more would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.Couple of comments: this is the latest movie from French director Francois Ozon, who previously has brought us such excellent movies as "In the House", "Potiche" and "Swimming Pooll". Here, he takes a short story (originally written by Ruth Rendall) and turns it into a feature length about the issue of crossdressing. As David explores his feminine side, Claire must decide whether to support him, and if so, to what extend could this throw a wrinkle into her own marriage to Gilles? At times the film succeeds, at times the film misses. The overall plot does seem a little light for a movie that goes for nearly 1 hr. 50 min. There are several notable performances, none more than of course Romain Duris as David (he was nominated for the French equivalent of the Oscar for Best Actor). Anaïs Demoustier as Claire is quite the revelation too (for me anyway). Notable is the excellent orchestral score, courtesy of French composer Philippe Rombi. There are also a number of song placements in the movie, including Katy Perry's "Hot + Cold", and, even more appropriate, Amanda Lear (with "Follow Me", playing in a nightclub scene), "Une nouvelle amie" was released over a year ago, and this weekend it showed up out of the blue at my local art-house theater here in Cincinnati without any hype or advertising. Why now, I have no idea, but better late than never, I suppose. The early evening screening where I saw this at was attended okay but not great. As to the movie itself, I can't help but feel slightly disappointed, as I feel it doesn't measure up to the other movies I've seen from Francois Ozon. If you get a chance to check out "The New Girlfriend", be it in the theater, on VOD or on DVD/Blu-ray, I suggest you do and then draw your own conclusion.

Une Nouvelle Amie is at least an interesting movie of Francois Ozon. For me this is another rare movie with an remarkable storyline, emotional depth and outstanding performances of the lead actors. It all leads towards the scene where David literally wakes up of his coma and is reborn as Virginia and Claire has accepted that she is in love with her, although he is a man. Both are driven by their love for the deceased Laura, the wife of David and the BFF of Claire. Ozon uses the song Une Femme avec Toi as extra drama element and it works. The combination of these facts – the death of Laura and the coming-out of David - is strange and makes it hard to imagine or identify, but Une Nouvelle Amie succeeds and that is exactly why this is an outstanding movie. It is about looks, feelings, character, identity, relationships.Although Romain Duris is nominated for a few awards - which is OK because his performance is as always solid and authentic – it is Anais Demoustier who really delivers an extra-ordinary performance in her role as the confused Claire. Both expose themselves in erotic scenes. Raphael Personnaz as the ordinary husband of Claire makes this romantic relationship drama complete. I hope that Francois Ozon keeps up with his Woody Allen-like speed of making movies.