Tu mérites un amour

You Deserve a Lover begins with a tense discussion between Lila (Hafsia Herzi) and Rémi (Jerémié Laheurte), her boyfriend, who had distanced himself from her to think about the future of the relationship, a relationship that will suffer an uncertain fate.

In her debut feature, the director Hafsia Herzi will accompany Lila in this uncertain duel of a love that she finds it difficult to give up, in her attempt to distance herself from a clearly manipulative and narcissistic boyfriend. With the support of some friends, however, she does not close in on herself and begins to explore the possibility of other ties.

The film exudes simplicity and naturalness, presents well-defined characters with few strokes and flows with dialogues as fresh as they are eloquent, making it clear that the duel is often not a linear process. I dare to assure that its theme, its fluidity and its dynamics inscribe the film, inscribe this film in the tradition of the cinema of Eric Rohmer and his heroines.

Many actual movies seem to me too professional and impersonal with an evident will to have an effect on the spectator. I don't like to be told what I have to feel as I'm watching a movie. That's why I liked so much "Tu mérites un amour". The director is a young woman Hafsia Herzi and it seems to be her first feature film after a short. She is also the main performer and has a rich experience as an actress. So I guess she didn't learn the job with theory and technical lessons but on the sets. It may explain her freedom and her sensibility, the way her camera loves her characters is truly moving, finding every time the right distance. A beautiful montage allows her to express in a very precise way, what she wants to tell about her characters. The subject is very thin, a young woman doesn't succeed in renouncing to a man that doesn't deserve her and cheats on her, and she deserves a love that she doesn't succeed in finding. I won't tell the end that doesn't much matter any way. Dialogues are excellent and funny. No morality preach about racism or intolerance for homosexuality; in fact no preach at all, but great portrayal of characters who try to find their way to happiness and love. Simple and straightforward but with a very delicate play of feelings.

Reminded me of Eric Rohmer's Comedies and Proverbs. Lots of talking about relationships but nothing nuch happens or gets resolved. It's mildly entertaining but essentially pointless. The guys are all unreliable, unfaithful adolescents and the girls complain but still tolerate them. Nicely filmed and well acted but it's a confection.

What do we deserve? And how do we get exactly that? And shouldn't we account what others may feel? Certain things may not always be as easy as we make them to be. Relationships are hard work or can be for example. Is it worth pursuing them even if we know they are not good to us? No pun intended in this case.

Our main character here seems to really want to stay in a relationship, for better or worse. But then she also has these other feelings ... it may feel strange for some, but irrationality in feelings is not really something uncommon. And therefor the movie has something to tell. Maybe not something you want to hear or watch as a viewer, but it is there. Everyone down for the drama this delivers will not be dissapointed - just suspend your disbelief and accept this for what it is ... there may be a pun here