Sex Is Comedy (2002)
Directed by Catherine Breillat

Film Review

After a series of shocking romantic dramas, featuring some of the most sexually explicit material to be made for mainstream cinema, Catherine Breillat made this curious pseudo-documentary in which she attempts to demystify the process of shooting sex films.  Whilst the film is occasionally illuminating and sometimes very funny, it is marred by a sense of navel-contemplating pretentiousness which becomes increasingly aggravating as the film progresses.  Breillat has been condemned for the way in which she portrays and degrades men in her films, and this film, which diminishes a male actor to the mere wearer of an oversized prosthetic penis, will presumably add more fuel to that particular prejudicial fire.  Anne Parillaud's totally flat and uninspired performance doesn't help matters and creates a rather unfavourable impression of Breillat herself, since Parillaud is evidently speaking with Breillat's voice.  The film has some entertainment value, if viewed from a wry, ironic perspective, but it says surprisingly little about the creative process or mechanics of making a film.  A wasted opportunity.

Film Synopsis

Making a film is never an easy endeavour, but for Jeanne her latest magnum opus, Scènes intimes, is rapidly turning into the mother of all nightmares.  As its title implies, the film comprises a number of explicit love scenes, but, unfortunately, Jeanne's two lead actors do not get on and can barely tolerate one another.  Getting them to look like a couple who are even vaguely attracted to one another is proving to be mission impossible.  The director's principal difficulty is her leading man, who is temperamentally ill-suited for the job and just cannot see eye-to-eye with his employer.  And the weather doesn't help.  The scene that Jeanne is presently shooting is supposed to be set during the summer holidays.  Unfortunately, the weather doesn't know this and appears hell-bent on thwarting the making of the film.  Still, in spite of these razor-tipped hurdles, Jeanne persists like the staunch masochist she is, determined to get the scenes in the can at whatever cost to her own sanity...