Vincent and Gabrielle are married, have stable jobs, a healthy son and a harmonious relationship. Yet, after a series of failed attempts at revitalizing their marital routine, Vincent begins a heated affair with another woman and Gabrielle spins into introspection -- while hiding from Vincent that she knows of his infidelity. Distraught at the state of her marriage, Gabrielle wanders in anguish and is eventually drawn towards a random man whom she spots inside a Virgin Megastore. The handsome
stranger glances at her while both listen to the same song. And mysteriously, the two of them share a fleeting but intensely intimate moment in the middle of an anonymous crowd. When he leaves the store, Gabrielle is even more vulnerable than before. Concomitantly, and in comedy crisis mode, George and Nathalie argue loud and violently -- the former suffocating in his wife's feminist demands and the latter feeling trapped in a monogamous relationship. Looking for solace, George buys an expensive Mercedes and turns to his old friends, Vincent and Fred. Although all three men keep each other company, even their weekly soccer games and poker nights do not protect them from mid-life anguish. Fred is still single -- and proudly so. He sleeps with a series of spectacular women and plays the role of liberated straight male for his pals. But while Vincent and George struggle, with no success, to understand Fred's sex appeal, they cannot see that Fred also yearns for a change of pace.
Attal knows that no matter how adult we feel when we say, 'I do,' marriage is all child's play: jealousy, lies and pure, unconditional love. Perplexing, but not a bad option.
Attal taps into that unexpectedness -- the inability of just one person to captain the course of a relationship no matter how hard they try -- and he plays it for all it's worth.
Whatever points screenwriter/director Attal is trying to make about relationship envy get lost as the marital conflicts become more contrived and shrill.
Attal doesn't illuminate Vincent's motives for straying, and unwisely suggests Vincent's philandering and Gabrielle's daydreaming are somehow morally equivalent.
i really enjoyed this film's cross-section of people dealing with various facets of coupledom, love, fidelity, marriage, etc. the elevator ride with johnny depp was quite poetic and a wonderful close to the film.
An interesting study of three men who are friends, in different marital situations, and who have different approaches to love and happiness. It explores fidelity and what constitutes happiness within the family unit. Charlotte Gainsbourg is lovely in this as Gabrielle, wife of Vincent (Yvan Attal). Some bizarre games
transpire between these two and the cover art is taken from one of those playtimes. Lots of interesting camera work, a lively script, and some lovely actors keep things from becoming too trite, but it's not all that deep either. Mildly entertaining at best.
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