One of the most erotically charged scenes in non-pornagraphic film appears at the beginning of LES AMES CALINES, as an underwater camera follows dangerously closely between the legs of young women swimming laps in a pool. Soon it becomes clear that this view belongs to Jacques (Francois... [More]

One of the most erotically charged scenes in non-pornagraphic film appears at the beginning of LES AMES CALINES, as an underwater camera follows dangerously closely between the legs of young women swimming laps in a pool. Soon it becomes clear that this view belongs to Jacques (Francois Berleand), a middle-aged Parisian womanizer whose swimming routine involves this perverse underwater research. It's also how Jacques meets girls, who he deftly seduces into posing nude for his figurative paintings, then pounces. All is going well for "Sweet Jacques" until he meets Claire (Laetitia Coti), a young girl who ruins his track record. In a hilarious and deservedly mean-spirited bad luck sequence, Jacques gets locked out of his apartment, takes Claire to a restaurant where he cannot pay the bill, is rejected by his son, his ex-wife, and his best friend, and on and on and on. Director Thomas Bardinet weaves this outrageous comedic tale of sexual travails and what happens when crafty plans backfire, making LES AMES CALINES an ageless timeless tale of love and loss. This film screened in New York City in April 2002 as part of the Avignon/New York Film Festival organized by the French Institute Alliance Francaise. [Less]