While not all of Hollywood’s recent theatrically-released romantic comedies have performed well, the breakout commercial success of several – most notably, Ticket to Paradise (grossing nearly $169 million worldwide) and Anyone but You (almost $220 million) – does still suggest a renewed appetite for a type of movie that was formerly a reliable staple of the release calendar. Yet despite shooting in scenic locations, those cited success stories never actually look especially good. The world of a film being carefully lensed and feeling lived-in isn’t the sole reason why something like Rob Reiner’s When Harry Met Sally endures, but it’s a crucial ingredient in the mix.
Writer-director Monia Chokri’s The Nature of Love taps into what so many of the recent Hollywood romcoms have been missing. Overseen by cinematographer André Turpin, the film’s camera is sometimes as horny for the film’s characters as they are for one another. Playful in its blocking and heavy on Altmanesque zooms, the movie’s textured visual language complements the script’s comedic and dramatic concerns, enhancing their impact rather than being an excessive distraction.
The Nature of Love is rich in the cultural specificity of its settings which allows it to wittily interrogate the universal concepts of love, lust, stagnation, cynicism and self-worth. A teacher of philosophy for mature students in Montreal, 40- year-old Sophia (Magalie Lépine Blondeau), has been in a stable relationship with fellow middle-class intellectual Xavier (Francis-William Rhéaume) for a decade. While affection remains, things are now passionless, highlighted by their sleeping in separate beds and Xavier speculating that too-frequent sex is the reason for two of their friends’ constant fights.
Staying at the couple’s lakeside holiday chalet as it’s assessed for renovation, Sophia spends a night socialising with the burly, blue-collar local handyman, Sylvain (Pierre-Yves Cardinal), who’s come to both advise on her plumbing and upend her life. Their legitimately sexy hookup leads to an all-consuming affair. But Sophia’s new lease on life soon faces challenges when factors outside the relationship itself begin piercing the love bubble.
While leaning into cartoonish moments at times, Chokri – who also co-stars as Sophia’s friend – is careful not to make this a simplistic tale of a bourgeois mid-life crisis being resolved by bonding with someone from a so-called ‘modest’ background. Sophia and Sylvain’s very different social circumstances are not caricatured and their connection is made to feel genuine, but nor are the pressures of class, family and friends on a relationship’s evolution downplayed. Chokri’s film is both sharp and sensual in its comedic exploration of fucking around and finding out.
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ANTICIPATION.
This film pulled a surprising upset in winning Best Foreign Film at the 2024 César Awards. 3
ENJOYMENT.
Sensual, perfectly cast and it features a clever homage to The Umbrellas of Cherbourg. Oui oui. 4
IN RETROSPECT.
A romantic comedy in cinemas that’s actually cinematic and exuberant. What a concept! 1
Directed by
Monia Chokri
Starring
Magalie Lépine Blondeau, Pierre-Yves Cardinal, Francis-William Rhéaume
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