La Confusion des genres (2000) - film review

Although he is approaching forty, Alain, a lawyer, lives a muddled life.   Although he is in a gay relationship with a much younger man, Christophe, he is attracted to women, and they find him attractive.  One day, he sleeps with a fellow lawyer, Laurence, but it soon becomes clear that there is no mileage, or passion, in their relationship - in spite of the fact that Laurence becomes pregnant as a consequence.  To keep up appearances, Laurence and Alain agree to marry, but Alain has by this stage fallen in love with on of his clients, a convicted murder named Marc.  Hoping to please Marc, Alain agrees to try to persuade his girlfriend, Babette, to visit him in prison.   Things do not go as planned: Babette falls in love with Alain and Alain ends up having to choose between the emotionally unstable Babette, his pregnant wife Laurence, and his adoring gay lover Christophe...

In spite of its convoluted and implausible plot, La Confusion des genres is an engaging film which offers a perceptive and honest reflection on life, love and sexuality in the kind of totally liberated society in which we now live.   This intelligent and well-structured film features a talented cast of actors, including Pascal Greggory whose intense portrayal of the brooding Alain is to be particularly commended.

The way in which the film contrasts the attitudes of three different generations is interesting and show how our society has evolved over the past few decades.  Middle-aged Alain is paralysed with indecision as to how he should live his life in the face of such choice.  By contrast, the lives of the previous generation and the next generation appear far more straightforward.  Alain’s parents were driven into marriage at an early age, by the conventions of the day, whilst today’s young people merely live for the present and so have no choice to make.

Few films treat issues such as bisexuality and ambivalence towards marriage with such honesty, originality and sensitivity as this, and the characters in the film – however bizarre their love lives – are convincing, well-developed individuals.    The film’s awkward use of comedy (such as the farcical wedding scene) slightly undermines its serious side but does add to its sly Gallic charm, increasing its entertainment value.

© James Travers 2002

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