The New Girlfriend [Une nouvelle amie] **** (2014, Romain Duris, Anaïs Demoustier) – Movie Review

Anaïs Demoustier plays Claire, whose best friend Laura (Isild Le Besco) dies young and she has to keep her promise of looking over her widower, David (Romain Duris), and their six month old baby.

However, she uncovers a shocking secret that David is leading a double life unlocked by his wife’s death. Initially repelled, Claire eventually helps him on his journey of self-discovery.

Director François Ozon bases his screenplay on a story by Ruth Rendell that must have been quite different. The New Girlfriend is no thriller but it is thrilling.

Duris is fearless and absolutely superb in a performance mixing appealing with vulnerability and bravado, while Demoustier supports loyally and well. The film’s entertaining, suspenseful, provocative and quite challenging and very intelligent on the sexual front. Ozon is on fire. It’s one of his best.

After premiering at the 2014 Toronto Film Festival, the 40th César Award double-nominated The New Girlfriend [Une nouvelle amie] received a limited theatrical release in 2015 but sadly struggled to find an audience and had a meagre box-office take.

François Ozon is also the maker of Swimming Pool (2003) and Jeune & Jolie (2013).

Pedro Almodóvar also adapted a work by Ruth Rendell in a similar spirit, Live Flesh (1997). Ozon’s playful and camp subversion of gender dynamics must certainly have appealed to Almodóvar. It could almost have been made by him.

© Derek Winnert 2015 Movie Review

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