Gay in the Best Possible Way
Movie Review of 'Cote d'Azur'
Volume 75, Number 36
| September 8 - 14,
2005FILMCOTE
D’AZURDirected by Olivier
Ducastel and Jacques
MartineauDistributed by Strand
ReleasingOpen Sep.
9Angelika, Chelsea Cinema, Clearview
Broadway at 62nd
St.courtesy
strand releasingMartin (Edouard
Collin), left, might be sleeping with his friend, Charly (Romain Torres), as his
family enjoys a vacation meant to break
their routine.Gay in the Best
Possible
WayOlivier
Ducastel and Jacques Martineau bring back the French
farceBy SETH J.
BOOKEYFilm farce is often thought of as
a French import and with “Cote D’Azur” directors Olivier
Ducastel and Jacques Martineau continue in that tradition. Probably best known
to American audiences for the socially conscious “The Adventures of
Felix” (2000) and the HIV musical “Jeanne and the Perfect Guy”
(1998), Ducastel and Martineau, lovers and collaborators, present their gayest
work yet.Gay in both the old sense and
the homosexual sense of the word.Unlike
many French films of the past half-decade, “Cote D’Azur” is
good, old-fashioned, ridiculous fun, putting a gay spin on the age-old plot
device of sexual misunderstandings and people running around slamming doors
behind themselves in vaudevillian
style.The film presents a typical family
on vacation with two teenagers in tow. Beatrix (Valeria Bruni Tedeschi) suspects
that her son might be gay, and doesn’t mind that he has brought along a
friend. Her husband Marc (Gilbert Melki) is overly preoccupied with his
children’s sex lives, and is as nervous as a cat most of the
time.Beatrix keeps mentioning her Dutch
heritage, as though emblematic of her tolerance for the idea that her son Charly
(Romain Torres) might be sleeping with his friend Martin (Edouard Collin).
Ironically, Charly is not gay, but Martin is, and he sneaks out nightly to seek
sex in the local cruising grotto.A lot
of the vaudeville in the movie comes into play as both Charly and Marc follow
Martin on his nocturnal adventures. Beatrix has good reason to be liberal on
questions of sexual mores—her own lover, Matthieu (Jacques Bonnaffe), has
followed the family on its vacation, and the couple regularly romp under
Marc’s nose. The misunderstandings escalate into complications when an
ex-lover of Marc’s also appears on the scene––involved,
though, with another member of the vacation
group.We hear that “Vacations were
meant to break routine,” and for the adult characters this means some
level of sexual anarchy. Beatrix not only has an unfettered good time with
Matthieu, but we also get the impression that her sex with Marc is a rare
occurrence. The “routine” in fact may be a cover. Both Marc and
Beatrix seem to want something outside their marriage. Beatrix says she
“chose” Marc, in a way suggesting a decision more practical than
romantic. Marc has his own suppressed desires, which get untied by the extended
discussions of the two boys’ possible sexual relationship. The film has
the feel of “Nico and Dani,” but with parents along this
time.The film itself also breaks with
formula, ending with a nonsensical musical number, “Coquilles et
crustaces.” Along with being a lot of fun, “Cote D’Azur”
has some wonderful shots as well. During a rainstorm, we see the boys framed by
one window while another frames the parents. Co-directors Ducastel and Martineau
achieve a good sense of “alone together” both visually and
thematically. It takes Martin, someone outside the family, to notice that
everyone seems is playing games.Ducastel
and Martineau met while making a movie together ten years ago, and have
co-directed four films since. Each man has a specialty he brings to the films.
Martineau writes the initial drafts of the scripts, which change after
discussions between the two. Ducastel assumes the lead role in
directing.Both men, in interviews, were
quick to point out that “Cote D’Azur” is “only a
movie.”“Art can be something
funny,” Martineau told Gay City
News.The two men count Erich Rohmer,
Jacques Demy, and Francois Truffaut among their
influences.Their gay teen character,
Martin, pokes fun at the whole concept of “coming out,” calling it
an “English notion.”Ducastel
said the film is not a “coming out” movie, noting that the issue is
considerably less freighted than it was 20 years ago.
Posted: Thu - September 8, 2005 at 01:19 AM
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Published On: Jun 20, 2009 07:03 PM
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