Film Review
David Lambert's follow-up to his gay-themed debut feature
Hors
les murs (2012) serves up a lighter variation on a similar
theme, at least it does until it morphs mid-way through into a more
conventional three-way romance that wends its way somewhat gawkily
through a minefield of clichés and familiar situations.
Je suis à toi lies somewhere
in the murky terrain between realist drama and a strain of absurdist
comedy that has become prevalent in Belgian cinema in recent
years. The result is a quirky comedy-drama that appeals in spite
of an obvious lack of character depth and a depressing dearth of
originality on the plot front.
Je suis à toi walks a
thin line between trite convention and sporadic eccentricity but it has
at least one ace up its flour-covered sleeve, which is the memorable
trio formed by lead actors Jean-Michel Balthazar, Nahuel Pérez
Biscayart and Monia Chokri, all of whom turn in
rounded performances (Balthazar doubly so) in spite of a complacent
script that does them few favours. Having previously impressed in
Benoit Jacquot's
Au fond des bois (2010) the
Argentinean born Biscayart brings gravitas to what might otherwise have
been a lightweight timewaster, rewarding with a similarly thoughtful
portrayal of a fraught individual who has far more depth than is
discernible on the surface. He makes both a striking physical and
tonal contrast with Jean-Michel Balthazar, the archetypal jovial fat
baker who is more likeably pathetic than creepy. Lambert makes
good use of the Laurel and Hardy-like pair formed by his male leads, to
the extent that many of their scenes have a cartoon-like unreality to
them.
There's enough mileage in the Balthazar-Biscayart double act to carry
the entire film but bizarrely Lambert throws in a third element, in the
form of a shop girl played by Monia Chokri, to send the film skidding
down a different alley in its second half. Chokri has already
demonstrated her talents in such films as Xavier Dolan's
Les Amours imaginaires (2010)
but here she is under-utilised in a poorly developed role that, had it
gone to a lesser actress, would have totally sent the film over the
edge of a precipice. Chokri doesn't need a great script to give a
great performance and her skill as an actress more than compensates for
the failings of Lambert's writing, bringing a reality to the film's
second half that does a reasonable job of hiding the glib
second-handedness of the plot. Chokri is the yeast that helps
Je suis à toi to rise in the
baking, and whilst a little crusty the film does make a tasty if not
entirely satisfying repast.
© James Travers 2015
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Film Synopsis
Lucas is at the end of his tether. He has no family, no friends,
no job, and he barely survives on what he can earn as a male
prostitute. He is also stuck in Buenos Aires and sees no way out
of his present predicament. Then he gets the idea of posting an
S.O.S. video on the internet. This is how he comes to the
attention of Henry, a lonely Belgian baker who cannot resist giving
Lucas his airfare to a new life in happy Wallonia. Naturally,
Henry expects more than just a token thank you from his young
protégé, but even Lucas baulks at the prospect of sharing
a bed with a fifty-year-old who has at least three times his body
weight. As Henry turns Lucas into a dutiful apprentice, Lucas
begins taking an interest in his boss's pretty shop girl, Audrey.
He feels he has fallen in love for the first time, but she apparently
has no feelings for him...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.