If you thought that I had given up concerning Rohmer’s films, you’re wrong. This week I watched “Boyfriends and Girlfriends” (French title: L’Ami de Mon Amie), produced in 1987 and starring Emmanuelle Chaulet, Sophie Renoir and Anne-Laure Meury – already seen in “The Aviator’s Wife” -. The proverb for this one is “My friends’ friends are my friends” – “Les amis de mes amis sont mes amis”-. It’s about a young woman – Blanche - working in the cultural administration. It is set in the late 80s and she just moved to Cergy-Pontoise. She’s lonely, doesn’t anyone, but eventually meets another woman – younger than her - at the cafeteria for lunch. Her name is Lea. The two decide to meet again and to go to the swimming pool together. Lea has a boyfriend – Fabien - and Blanche falls in love with one of his best friends, a snobbish but handsome man. However, as the time goes through, Blanche realizes that she might be actually in love with Fabien, her friend’s friend…
I won’t tell anything about the ending, because it is quite a lovely film. It is actually the first Rohmer I watch with that much romanticism in it. What was also really interesting is the obstacle that friendship represents in love. For example, people would never (most of the time) date their friend’s ex, even if their feelings are strong and real. It is unconceivable to fall for “a (boy/girl)friend’s friend”. However, it seems absurd, because if two people really like each other, why should a past relationship and a present friendship ruin it? I found the character sincerely mature and honest in this film, and I wish it could be the same in real life, even if I do believe that it is harder than Rohmer wants to make us believe. Ego and jealousy are often a big problem in such cases… The other aspect that I thought was very striking was the set. I’m from Paris and to me – I guess to most Parisians, who happen to be as pretentious as I am - Cergy-Pontoise is a suburban city, but not the most attractive one. It is quite far from the city – compared to Malakoff, Montrouge, Ivry or Montreuil – and doesn’t represent what it represented when Rohmer shot the film. Cergy is presented as a new age, modern, complete, ideal suburban town. Everything you need is there – golf, lakes, tennis, shops – and you don’t need to go to the city anymore! This aspect of the film makes it look like a commercial for the Great Paris and for suburban towns. I found it funny and so retrograde. Still, it is a good, light and entertaining film.
MJ.
