Os Nomes do Amor

A very good friend and I saw this film at the 2011 Palm Springs International Film Festival. We both thought that it was hilarious and charming. Within the first fifteen minutes of the film, the theater was resounding with loud bursts of laughter from the audience. That continued throughout the course of the film. Frequently, French "comedies" can be very intelligent, enjoyable and well worth seeing. But they are rarely, (at least since the days of Jacques Tati') "laugh out loud" funny. I am very frustrated by the fact that (at least to my knowledge) there has not been a major release of this film in the movie theaters in the Los Angeles area. I would love to be able to share this delightful film with family and friends! I have been able to locate very few reviews of the film by media film critics. While virtually all of these reviews have been very positive, some have tended to pigeon-hole the film as being a satire of some of the more esoteric components of French culture and society, and therefore not likely to be of interest to film-goers who are not especially knowledgeable or interested in a comedy focused on such a theme.

This could not be further from the truth! The reality is that the film works wonderfully on its own terms, and that to thoroughly enjoy it one need not be particularly conversant in the intricacies or peculiarities of French culture. I am praying that, at the very least, the film is released in a home video format with English language subtitles. Then, at least, purveyors of fine foreign films would get the opportunity to see and enjoy it.! And I would not be deprived of the vast pleasure of sharing it with friends who enjoy high quality films!

Update: Very good news! Subsequent to the writing of this review, both the Sunday LA Times and the Sunday New York Times published special editions of their summer movie "sneaks" ie films to be released this summer-and both indicated that "The Names of Love" would be playing in theaters commencing around the end of June/beginning of July. Don't miss it!

It is the ultimate "opposites attract" love story. Arthur Martin is a perfectly ordinary (15207 other men in France share his name) shy, conservative late-middle aged single man working for the Government. He was raised by boring scientist technophiles who have consistently invested in great ideas that all turn out to be flops.

Baya Benmahmoud is a one of a kind (She is the only person in France named Baya Benmahmoud) young, beautiful, intelligent but scattered brained super-liberal activist raised by her hippy mother and illegal immigrant Algerian father. Her mission in life is to sleep with conservative "fascists" in order to turn them to the proper liberal ideal.

Baya finds Artur and launches her "make love not war" mission. She follows her proved method turning his world up-side-down. But this time, perhaps Baya has finally met her match. Everything changes for Baya when Arthur performs a kindness for her father that turns Baya's world up-side-down.

"If you can't trust the ducks, that is a bad sign."

I watched the film (dubbed into German) yesterday in Berlin and this is by far the most beautiful movie, I've seen in decades! An excellent cast, an outstanding script, breathtaking photography and direction and great music makes watching 'Le nom des gens' a lifetime experience!! You can cry, you can laugh, you can think about your own family's past and you can remember a lot of the things that happened in the film from your own life!! Once again did the French prove, that they are the only filmmakers out there, who have the sense for that 'certain something'! When the credits appear, you feel like you have to watch the film over and over again.

What can I say, In a sea of substandard American movies and mediocre French ones, this movie stands out like a beacon of light, celebrating life's highs and lows in all its complexities. Very reminiscent and certainly worthy of Radu Mihaileanu's movies. It delves into subjects such as inherent racism, family identity problems and the Holocaust. Each character is flawed, but in very different ways that help build complexity into the plot, in the many ways it brings opposites together - sometimes in a positive way, sometimes not. Just wonderfully written, offbeat with subtle humor all the way through. An incredible thought provoking script, wonderful acting and brilliant casting. Watch it and enjoy.

Imagine your second name is Leclerc, which is also that of a famous hypermarket chain. Now imagine you have a friend who writes scripts whose first name is Baya, only 26 other people in France have in common with you. Nobody would spare you the question, «Leclerc, ... like the hypermarket?» while your friend couldn't escape «Baya, where does it originate from? Brazil?» whereas her roots are North African. Why not take these two peculiarities as a starting point for a romantic comedy that would deal with questions that matter to you: emigration, identity, the duty to remember, family secrets, taboos, politics?

Michel Leclerc thus becomes Arthur Martin, an Avian Flu expert, whose name immediately calls to mind a well known French cooker brand. And Baya will be Bahia Benmahmoud, an extrovert girl who makes a point of sleeping with as many right-wingers as possible to win them over to the leftist cause. And on they are for a very original, very deep film which, by trying to unite two such dissimilar people, successfully spans the history of France, from the 1930's until today . And a very funny one too (the two most irrepressible scenes being the catastrophic dinner with the in-laws and the crazy cameo of former Prime Minister Lionel Jospin). The direction is particularly inspired, creative and unconventional (the characters who address the camera, Jacques Boudet playing a student and a young soldier whereas he is in his seventies because Arthur can't imagine him young, Arthur's dialog with his dead grandparents). «Le nom des gens» has less to do with a standard French comedy than with such brilliant oddities as «Toto le Héros», «Crazy» or «Le premier jour du reste de ma vie», also with Jacques Gamblin, who is perfect here as the dull biologist slowly opening himself to real life. In the role of his wild, passionate but insecure guide on his way to love and life, Sara Forestier gives her best performance since «L'Esquive». Also to be noted are Zinedine Soualem as Bahia's sweet Algerian- born father, Carole Franck as his energetic militant wife, Jacques Boudet and Michèle Moretti as Arthur's parents. And of course Lionel Jospin, who displays a great sense of humor in his only scene. If you like inventive movies that make you both smile and think over, this one is for you.