Le mari de la coiffeuse

Banning this beautiful film for being unrealistic or unbelievable only shows how self-centered can American audiences be.

The fact that a mid-class French hairdresser commits suicide just because she is afraid to lose her present loving feeling should not be considered absurd, but instead should make all of us think how do we lose our own love day by day -doing nothing to prevent it.

And the way Jean Rochefort talks to the customer at the last scene is just so moving -oh well, you might say it's only an old mad Frenchman, but believe me, there is much more than that.

I am a little at a loss of words to describe this small gem of a movie. It is very sensual, it is deeply moving, and it is very funny. As a small boy Antoine is asked by his father what he would like to be one day. He answers that he wants to marry a hairdresser ... and he does some fifty years later when he weds Mathilde. Their relationship is an ideal one: warm, affectionate, deeply loving. It brings out the very best in both of them. But Mathilde knows (fears?) that what goes up must come down...

The acting is superb. Very little is actually said but both Jean Rochefort and the Italian actress Anna Galiena speak with their bodies and above all with their faces, and their language surpasses that of words: their superb acting makes it appear easy for an audience to share their emotions and be elevated to similar heights and depths of feelings. If only all films would manipulate our emotions in such a subtle and gratifying way. First rate!

Antoine's love for women is clear, something that began in his young days. He must have his hair cut by the plump woman hairdresser whose mere presence inspires awe and passion in the little boy. Getting close to her breasts is just pure ecstasy for him. He is the best groomed boy in his town thanks to the frequent visits he pays to have his hair cut.

When Antoine grows up, the old hairdresser has gone. In her place, the lovely Mathilde arrives. Antoine's first encounter with Mathilde is not exactly one that would endear himself to the young woman, who is lovely in a mysterious way that is music to him. Eventually, they marry and seem to live a good life until fate intervenes to separate them in a way Antoine didn't envisioned.

This lovely comedy directed with great charm by Patrice Leconte is a joy to watch. The director was lucky in engaging one of the best French film comedians, Jean Rochefort. As Antoine, he is the best thing in this tender story of love and loss. Anna Galiena who plays Mathilde is perfect. Both actors are amazing in the film.

"The Hairdresser's Husband" is an enjoyable love story that will please fans of Mr. Rochefort and Mr. Leconte.

I hold foreign films in a different light from movies of North American mainstream cinema. I must admit - I'm more subjective when it comes to a foreign film. Why? I guess because they aren't in my language sometimes or have names I don't recognize. Most have turned out well, but not all. Perhaps the view that foreign movies are generally of good quality comes from the fact that American audiences are only exposed to foreign films of good quality. The comparison to "our" movies help too. Unfortunately that's a pretty select group year after year.

The Hairdresser's Husband is not such a foreign film. It didn't make the language barrier jump which is unfortunate. It's well worth the watch for anyone not completed saturated by American movies and customs. The film is equal parts drama and comedy.

It follows Antoine (Jean Rochefort) who as a little boy becomes infatuated with the local hairdresser almost like a secret boyhood crush. From that day on the love of a female hairdresser becomes part of his character. He grows up intent he will marry a hairdresser and hence the title - "The Hairdresser's Husband". He's the kind of person you know will make no harm in the world. Even in adulthood in many respects he is still a child. His personality is such that you'd look at him and know what kind of person he is.

He walks into a local hairdresser's shop and becomes mesmerized by Mathilde (Anna Galiena) the shop's hairdresser. She is beautiful and has a natural free flowing charm. Next thing he's getting his hair cut and inadvertently blurts out "Will you marry me?". General awkwardness follows. The next day, he comes back. Obviously not needing a cut. She tells him she heard what he said and the next thing they are together and he couldn't be more happier. Life suddenly has depth and meaning. He's been waiting for this moment in time his whole life.

"The Hairdresser's Husband" is a kind hearted film that isn't so much a story, but a character study carried out by talented performances and real emotion. Asking nothing but acceptance as it plays out. Although it is relatively brief, the short running time actually suits the material too. In an American movie, Antoine would have lost her somewhere in act two and had to battle to get her back from a person not deserving of her before having happiness again. They might have thrown in a subplot centering around their best friends too. That's the way Hollywood movies are. Thankfully there are no contrived plot points or useless characters thrown about here. It's a tight package. The finale is sad, but that does nothing to impact this foreign film I recommend to anyone with a sense of empathy.

I love this film probably because it seems to be the kind of movie that would never get made in the US. It not only seems to be foreign, it seems otherworldly. The musical interludes featuring the bizarre movements of Jean Rochefort are worth many repeat viewings. (I own a copy of this video.) The movie looks at obsession and the transitory nature of relationships in a bittersweet and magical way.