Director Christophe Van Rompaey takes the oldest story in film, “boy meets girl,” and turns it into something fresh and new with sparkling performances by Barbara Sarafian and Jurgen Delnaet
Breakthrough director Christophe Van Rompaey took home two Cannes awards for this film. Although they are two of the lesser known awards (the 2008 ACID and Grand Golden Rail), these are high accomplishments for a man who is essentially a first time feature film director. It is a possibility that the freshness and simplicity of this film is what allows it to make good on the oldest plot in history. It is the simplest of romantic comedies that somehow manages world class charm out of what could have become a box office disaster.
Matty (Barbara Sarafian) and Johnny (Jurgen Delnaet) meet after a minor collision in a parking lot and a love affair is born, European style. The two fight like cats and dogs and eventually come to realize that there is more to their relationship than a mere bent bumper. But Johnny has a troubling past of substance abuse and violence and Matty has to come to terms with her own failed marriage.
Matty’s marital relationship is with fickle and narcissistic art school prof Werner (Johan Heldenburg). Director Rompaey and screenwriters van Rijckeghem and van Beirs create a persona for Werner that is a humorous nod to Pierce Brosnan’s suave architect Stu Dunmeyer (“Mrs. Doubtfire”). He has a low down sneaky feeling that he is not the man he thought he was. Even worse, in spite of his self-perceived sophisticated grasp of the world, he is losing a very desirable woman to a man who outwardly appears to be a clown, or worse. This provides the spark needed to keep the oldest story in the world above water. It is a funny treatment of a painful situation.
The creative team doubles this ante when Johnny’s beautiful ex-wife Nathalie turns out to be shacking up with her lawyer from the divorce case; the cruelest blow of all. Johnny is now tested in the fires of jealousy and self-loathing. He is stressed to measure up to the feelings of renewed self-worth he feels with Matty.
It terms of supporting acting, the award in this film goes to Anemone Valcke playing Vera, Matty’s 17 year old daughter. Vera is torn between her mother and her father. Or perhaps she is torn between her desire for the two to reunite and form a conventional home, blaming herself for their impending divorce. Her knowledge that her father is a self-infatuated womanizer leads her to Johnny but old habits die hard. In fact, Vera’s secret concern is something completely different. When she strikes a deal with Matty that if Matty can bring her lover home, so can she, the stage is set for self-awakenings all around.
Jean-Claude Van Rijckeghem and Pat van Beirs won the 2008 Cannes SACD Screenwriting Award for this film and it is deserved. Their sparkling, upbeat and effortlessly clever lines carry the film. Things are said simply and directly without being clipped and mean. There is no time lost to the meaningless hysteria and hyperbole that so often accompanies romantic comedies and break-up dramas.
Matty is direct and honest in both her appraisal of herself, her love for Johnny and her appraisal of their chances together. Johnny is as self-assured as he is worried about his grip on life; his character’s message that he can be alright if he meets the right woman. Vera, the child who becomes the adult, shows both of them that true love takes more faith than her seniors know
All-in-all, one of the most easy-going and gently entertaining romantic comedies out there. A great first date film with fresh actors, screenwriters and a director that come together to make something new out of something old.
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