ThiefHott Too much of everything

Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

Reptileenbu Did you people see the same film I saw?

Intcatinfo A Masterpiece!

sol- Coming out as a transsexual proves challenging for a high school teacher in this French Canadian drama directed by Xavier Dolan and starring Melvil Poupaud. He undergoes predictable trouble at work (though curiously from his colleagues - not his pupils who respect his courage) and ends up losing his job. His parents also expectedly reject him and he has trouble dining in public without someone making some comment about his looks. Not so expected though is Poupaud's long term girlfriend's decision to stick with him throughout his ordeal, and Suzanne Clément is superb as the young lady in question who, despite all doubts, claims to still need his "forearms". Set over a ten year period, the couple's relationship is tested at several points but their connection is absolutely undeniable and there is a potent scene in which they encounter another trans couple who claim that "gender is shallow" and it is "the person" who matters. Truer relationship advice may have never been said, but it is to the film's credit that it is does everything to challenge this, highlighting how difficult is for one to achieve happiness in a world full of societal expectations and heavily drilled norms. At nearly three hours long, the film runs a little long and is never quite as intense at it could be. The extra runtime allows Dolan to experiment with some neat stylistically touches though as things fall on the actors in slow motion to the tune of serene music. This in turn gives the film a dreamlike quality - rather fitting for a film about a human being realising his/her dreams beyond gender stereotyping.

Red_Identity As I'm writing this, I haven't seen heartbeats, but I still think this is easily his weakest from the other four, and much of it is due to the running time. Had the same story been told in about 90 minutes, the effect would've been greater, but as it is, it seems to involve quite a lot of aimless dialogue and conversations that I just found self-indulgent and not at all very interesting or inherently entertaining. But what's surprising is that when the film works, it works, and the film by the end still manages to have a great emotional impact. For that I still like it, and Suzanne Clement is also a big reason why. She's absolutely incredible here, no doubt should've been nominated for an Oscar under the leading category.

Paul Haimik With this film, Xavier Dolan confirms his excellent style. The starring is incredibly well-chosen (distinction for the actress). A photography without mistake, there are numbers of beautiful shots. And too a good soundtrack, that is very eclectic (french's or qubecois's songs, classical's songs as Brahm or Bethoveen, or rock ballads), and first and foremost an original screenplay. In fact, I found the plot very interesting because I don't know film about the transsexualism. For a discovery, we can't dream a better movie.So, check out his film (Les amours imaginaires, J'ai tué ma mère are too to discover).A young film maker watch this space. The Quebecois's cinema too.

Roedy Green This is very long boring movie. It is the story of a handsome man slowly turning himself into an ugly woman. About 20% of the footage is watching people frantically smoke tobacco. I have no idea why the director considered this diverting.The characters are all prone to histrionics and long rambling monologues that make no sense. They are just emoting and over-acting for the camera. The only character I cared at all about is Laurence him/herself, and he is a fruitcake without a drop of common sense.Nothing much happens. The excitement comes when periodically the characters move to new digs.There are two spectacular Felliniesque scenes where they hired every good looking actor in Canada, then ploughed the camera through them like a speedboat.In general, it is indulgent, overdone and way way too long. Perhaps it would make more sense if you knew French, rather than reading the subtitles as I did.