The Man of My Life

2006
6.6| 1h54m| en
Details

A man vacationing in the country with his wife and children finds ideas he has of himself unexpectedly challenged.

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Reviews

Protraph Lack of good storyline.
Btexxamar I like Black Panther, but I didn't like this movie.
Maidexpl Entertaining from beginning to end, it maintains the spirit of the franchise while establishing it's own seal with a fun cast
FrogGlace In other words,this film is a surreal ride.
ekeby This film is so well photographed, produced, acted, scripted, etc., I feel a bit caddish for complaining about any aspect of it. The photography is beautiful, lush at times, and often original. Much of the story takes place in dreams, or in a dream-like state, and the cinematographer does a good job conveying as much. The film returns repeatedly to segments of an all night conversation between the two male leads, revealing nothing particularly extraordinary. Their dialog is the kind college kids have when they're talking about The Meaning of It All. But aspects of that discussion are played off against events occurring around them in the days that follow. It's a nice structure, one that lends itself to the dreamy photography.I think the film could have been truly great if just a bit of the thematic and visual metaphors had been scaled back. This slight excess is noticeable, and that, I think, is a shame. Don't get me wrong--this is so far and away above the quality of most gay cinema it's definitely worth seeing, and thoroughly enjoyable. I think Netflix has categorized this film as Foreign, rather than as Gay & Lesbian. It's French, so it clearly belongs to the former, but it is also a top tier example of the latter.
avnerkam A lovely film about a somewhat-romantic friendship between a straight married man and a gay single guy. An interesting note is that this story was written and directed by a woman, Zabou Breitman. The dynamics between the men, more subtle and conversational than physical, allow us to learn more than if the issue of sex was raised quickly. The romance is not about sexual attraction, but the role people play in he life of the other that bring forth emotions. This is a rich film, combining philosophy with sensuality, whimsy with beauty. While the pace is slow, there are twists along the way, beautiful cinematography, humorous bursts and many believable characters to keep us interested. Well worth viewing.
sineadfac Zabou Breitman is a director/writer to watch notwithstanding her acting portfolio. If she was in Hollywood, she would be labeled a "triple threat", hailed as a maverick and given suitable coverage for her latest work.Though I've never been, watching this feels like you're going to have a pleasant, peaceful, summer vacation with your family and friends in southern France in the splendor of nature, comfy dwelling, great food and wine. What could possibly be missing or wrong, right? The French complex and complicated as they are, seemed not content with the ideal life and would simply want to crack things up because they're so bored with it. I take that back. In fact, the setting could happen anywhere and still be applicable and effective. Which makes this even more universally appealing to adults experiencing perhaps; midlife crisis?The story is really simple and almost no plot at all and it could have been really boring going back to the same scenes from a different perspective. But at two hours, I hardly noticed it at all. In fact, I wish it was longer. Breitman is a keen observer. She injects subtle slice of life sparsely spaced at right moments. It's like watching a painter at work with every restrained stroke of her brush as she finishes her masterpiece.The charming Charles Berling is perfect for the role of Hugo, a solitary new neighbor. He is also unabashedly, though masculine acting, gay. He announces this to the surprise of everyone when invited for dinner by good natured family man Frederic played by the equally adorable Bernard Campan. Both actors give exquisite performances as expected if you're familiar with them. If Ennis Del Mar and Jack Twist met at this stage in their life, this would be an interesting development. Enough said, all the casts are good including the black cat in the background in a scene.If ever there was a runner up or successor to Brokeback Mountain, this would certainly be it in terms of narrative and milieu. Though the musical score is very good, it doesn't have the dramatic haunting reminiscence of Gustavo Santaolalla's and as such carries a slight advantage over this one. One noteworthy comparison is that they are both written by women. Is it perhaps those female writers/directors are more adept at handling gay themed love stories than actual gay writers/directors because women are more in touch with their emotions and knows what tenderness is? Or maybe they are writing it from their perspective originally intended for the lesbian audiences? Whatever the intention, they're truly good at it compared to many forgettable gay themed films with more emphasis on lust, agendas and dramatics.I wished this film would have had the same coverage as it truly deserves. I imagine it a big hit in Japan if it is or was released. One important thing this viewer learned is that it didn't go unnoticed and would even like to keep it a secret and maybe it should stay that way as if cherishing a gem of art shielding it from the general population. The Man of My Life effortlessly became one of his most favorite films of all time.Oh another skill that Zabou Brietman may or may not know have; poet.
rasecz Summer somewhere in France. A couple and their young son invite family and friends to enjoy a warm rural holiday at their old but comfortable summer house. A neighbor, a middle-aged single man, is invited to join the first night's outdoor party. It is quickly revealed that the man is gay. He and the husband start a tentative friendship. How far will it go? Beyond the apparently simple plot line, what struck me about this film were the visual aspects. A playful camera delights us with unconventional angles, framing, superpositions and transitions. Combining beautiful cinematography and great editing, the end result is a superb film. The tango music is icing on the cake.