Félix et Lola (2001) - film review

Félix, operator of dodgem cars in a fairground, becomes obsessed by one of his customers, a mysterious young woman named Lola.  Félix soon discovers that Lola is running away from her former boyfriend, a singer who continues to taunt her.  Lola asks Félix to prove his love for her by murdering a man he does not know...

Patrice Leconte once more demonstrates his uncanny diversity as a filmmaker, eschewing the pretty romanticism of his earlier romantic dramas for a darker, more realistic cinematic form.  Félix et Lola is certainly more naturalistic than Leconte’s earlier work, referencing the minimalist style of Robert Bresson’s Mouchette (1967) and the gritty urban fairytale that is Leos Carax’s Les Amants du Pont-Neuf (1991).   Although the film is well made and features some attractive, credible performances from Charlotte Gainsbourg and Philippe Torreton, it is far less satisfying than Leconte’s previous forays into the romantic drama genre.  The threadbare plot and an inconclusive ending are the film’s biggest failings, but it is also apparent that this kind of raw post noir realism is not Leconte’s natural style.

© James Travers 2004

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