Matthias et Maxime [Matthias & Maxime] **** (2019, Xavier Dolan, Gabriel D’Almeida Freitas, Harris Dickinson, Anne Dorval) – Movie Review

Gabriel D’Almeida Freitas and Xavier Dolan star as Matthias & Maxime, which finds writer-director Xavier Dolan in romantic mode, edgy, unconventional romantic mode perhaps, but definitely romantic mode. The French-Canadian film, mostly in French focuses on a mixed on a group of friends in their late 20s, most of them male, some of them gay, just before Maxime sets off for a new life in Australia for a couple of years.

An idiot blind bet forces the apparently straight Matthias to agree to take part in a film with his old school friend Maxime that turns out to entail they have to kiss. Well, we know where this is heading right from there, but Dolan keeps the two characters apart successfully and amusingly for the next couple of hours.

There are lots of laughs, with hip and sassy dialogue, some of it harsh and angry, some of it sweet and poignant, plenty of atmosphere, and a lot of intriguing character development. Dolan keeps it very filmic, very cinematic, even though there’s a load of talk that you could put on a theatre stage. Dolan exactly captures the spirit of restless youth.

Anne Dorval gets a strong, though nasty role as mother Manon. Dolan really has mother issues, doesn’t he? Harris Dickinson is a bit wasted as the young visiting American lawyer Matthias has to show round Montreal. It might be intended as an ensemble portrait of a generation, but the film belongs to Freitas and Dolan, who keep it real and appealing. There’s a lovely emotional surge at the end, expertly handled by Dolan. Nice soundtrack too.

© Derek Winnert 2019 Movie Review

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