The New Girlfriend

The "new girlfriend" of Francois Ozon's comic drama isn't what you might expect. Mourning the sudden death of his young wife Laura (played by Isild Le Besco in flashbacks), widower David (Romain Duris) calms himself and his infant son by dressing in his wife's clothes. This shocks Laura's best friend Claire (Anaïs Demoustier), even after David explains that Laura knew about this predilection. But as Claire spends more time with David's feminine side (which he names Virginia), she becomes enchanted with her new girlfriend. It's tempting to call this film a dark comedy—it's based on a novel by author Ruth Rendell (a specialist in mysteries and psychological thrillers)—but while full of wit, there is actually very little darkness in this playful psychological drama. David is neither gay nor transsexual, and the central pair's girlish outings ultimately lead to sexual attraction, which complicates matters since Claire is happily married. Rather, The New Girlfriend offers a celebration of a fluid sexual identity—a nonjudgmental acceptance of what years ago might have been considered perverse or unnatural—presented as a healthy acknowledgment of a non-threatening desire that also creates a pathway to a new kind of friendship as Claire becomes a conspirator in David's secret life. An elegant, sensuous production with a light comic touch from a noted Gallic filmmaker, this is recommended. [Note: DVD/Blu-ray extras include a “making-of” featurette (46 min.), deleted scenes (11 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for an engaging film.] (S. Axmaker)