Sex Is Comedy

Sex is Comedy (2002)

*** (out of 4)

French film from the controversial Catherine Breillat is more a companion piece to her masterpiece Fat Girl than a film on its own. In this film, a director (Anne Parillaud) is having trouble filming a sex scene because her actor (Gregoire Colin) and actress (Roxane Mesquida) can't stand one another. That's pretty much the entire story but the film is so much more than that because it really gives us a behind the scenes look at what goes on during filming such a scene. As with the director's next film Anatomy of Hell, this one here didn't get very good reviews but I was totally captivated by it. I'm not sure what it is but Breillat can make just about anything seem real and interesting. It's clear that this sex scene being shot is her personal experience from the filming of Fat Girl. The sex scene here is the same one from that film and the actress here is also the same one used in that film. The performances by the three leads are all very good but the movie belongs to Parillaud as the director being tortured by her actors. Parillaud really nails the role as the frustrated director willing to do anything to get the scene in the can. I think the film works best if you've seen Fat Girl because you can watch the filming here and know what eventually came from it. It's rather interesting watching this film and seeing what all went into making Fat Girl and more clearly, what it took to pull off the sex scene in question, which is one of the most haunting yet beautiful ones that I've seen. This film certainly isn't about sex and there's no comedy to be found but it is about a director trying to get both out of her actors.

"Sex is Comedy" is an open ended light drama about a film director, Parillaud (Nikita), working on a film toward the sex scene between her young male and female leads. There's no story in this film which simply shows how a director might work with her cast and crew while trying to squeeze, cajole, or otherwise evoke the nuances she desires from the a recalcitrant male lead and his reluctantly willing partner while wrangling cameras and crews and the foibles which beset a film director at work. This film conjures some insights into what being a film director involves and the hard work required of cast and crew while making a film and, I suppose, the techniques and methods of this film's director, Brelliat. There are similarities between the sex scene in this film and that in another Brelliat film, "Fat Girl", which is little more than noteworthy. "Sex is Comedy" doesn't walk on the edge of pornography as do other Brelliat films and will be of most interest to those interested in film direction Brelliat style. (B-)

This is Breillat's more accessible film, if you are offended by her other movies that tend to have full frontal nudity and explicit sexual scenes. It is also her most intelligent film, where words are at play and relationships are tested.

The backdrop is a movie set, and director Jeanne has a dilemma with her actors, a fear of that big sex scene. She plays and manipulates her stars, creating a mix emotion of tension and harmony. After all it is her movie and reputation on the line, because the credit on the screen will read; A FILM BY...

Breillat's approach to this is subtle, looking into the anxieties of the director, the manipulation and mistreatment of actors, and the wonderful world of politics on the crazy film set where dreams are made.

Another fabulous movie from Catherine Breillat, this time about the difficulties of shooting a sex scene in a movie. Using comedy – a new genre for Breillat – we get a backstage view of filmmaking but in documentary style. The character who plays the director in the movie is based on Breillat, the sex scene in question is taken from her earlier film ‘A Ma Soeur' as is the main teenage actress. But the film, like all of Breillat's work, is not entertainment alone. It is peppered with philosophical observations on the nature of sexuality as well as demonstrating a devotion to ‘purity' (as opposed to pornography) that is a cornerstone of Breillat's work and a devotion to real emotion. We see the director character harangue the young lead actress and actor to bring the best out in them, hypnotising them into the parts they need to play, bringing out part of themselves that the director can see in them but they cannot see in themselves until they achieve the heights of acting that she demands of them. She makes meaningful movies, not titillation, but she shows the work that is needed to produce this, and so gives us insights both into the (decidedly French) film making process and the psychology of male – female sexuality.

According to Catherine Breillat many people believe that by watching "making of" they can understand the intricacies of the actual shooting process. She opines that this is not quite the case and the real process of filming a feature film is unfortunately very complex,hard to follow and difficult to understand. She goes on to add that rather than simplifying the creative process these programs end up confusing the viewers. Keeping this particular idea in mind, she has filmed a unique,trend setting film which relies heavily on the whims and fancies of its principal characters. One can have a first hand experience of how difficult things are on a set when a film is being shot. Compared to other films by Catherine Breillat,sex is comedy is devoid of controversial elements. As a film director in this film Anne Parillaud looks a bit similar to Catherine Breillat.Gregoire Colin is fine too as the moody actor. As a final comment, I would like to remark that this film is very serene and an inattentive viewer might not know how quickly the film is getting over.