4 Days in France

French director Jērôme Reybaud's feature film debut follows Pierre (Pascal Cervo), a Parisian teacher who quietly exits the apartment he shares with his lover Paul (Arthur Igual) to embark on a motor odyssey through the south of France. Pierre has no destination in mind, and uses the Grindr gay hook-up app to find available men interested in a no-string rendezvous. Along the way, Pierre encounters a number of colorful characters who launch into conversations with very little prompting. Unknown to Pierre, the despondent Paul has rented a car and is trying to follow his elusive lover via a telephone app that Pierre is using. Unfortunately, too much of the film feels like a travelogue for southern France—the bucolic countryside, quaint towns, and inspiring Alpine vistas are a joy to behold, but mainly serve as a backdrop for Pierre's tacky hunt for quickie sex. And Reybaud's penchant for very long unbroken takes also grows monotonous—at 137 minutes, the film is absurdly overlong. Optional. (P. Hall)