Oh, what a sweet, sad, sexy movie is Christophe Honoré's Love Songs! Not quite a musical—well, everybody sings, but in intimate settings, not dancing through huge production numbers—this is more of a long-form music video: a Francophile Once, if you will. A bittersweet celebration of romantic love as the bread of life, the film focuses on twentysomething Parisians Ismaël (Louis Garrel) and Julie (Ludivine Sagnier), as well as two lonely interlopers who enter their relationship: Alice (Clotilde Hesme), who “doesn't do sex” yet nevertheless becomes the third corner of their threesome, and Erwann (Grégoire Leprince-Ringuet), who latches onto Ismaël at a vulnerable moment. The quartet sing songs aching with desire and hope and loss to one another, mope beautifully, and wander the rainy, chilly streets of Paris in lovelorn trances –and the viewer loves each one, and longs for them to find some measure of happiness. Oddly, the stateside distributor IFC Films initially labeled Love Songs as a “comedy,” which is bizarre, unless a certain hard-won, melancholy joie de vivre is now considered “funny.” Highly recommended. (M. Johanson)
Love Songs
Genius, 95 min., in French w/English subtitles, not rated, DVD: $24.99, Nov. 11 Volume 23, Issue 6
Love Songs
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