Directed by: François Ozon
Written by: François Ozon (screenplay), Ruth Rendell (short story)
Starring: Romain Duris, Anaїs Demoustier, Raphaёl Personnaz, Isild Le Besco
New Girlfriend is technically striking, often conveying narrative visually in brave compositions, and Pascal Marti’s cinematography is as fluid as the characters’ identities. Ozon’s latest is riddled with flashbacks and fantasies, frustratingly reiterating the conceit of In the House with ambiguous scenes that could be either.
There’s an intriguingly complex relationship at the film’s centre, but it’s never satisfactorily dissected. Instead recurring “meaningful” glances weave a tangled web by heavy-handedly provoking speculation that a character is in love with another, and another, and so on.
Whilst flitting erratically between genres, New Girlfriend is just held together by scrupulous lead performances.
Though its respect for the characters and concluding vision of an unconventional family is admirable, The New Girlfriend is most convincing when simply depicting friendship.
SCENE A LOT OF FILMS 