Une nouvelle amie

This film is better than it sounded when I read the synopsis in the guide. It's not overly salacious or politically correct but it does put another nail in the coffin for boring white straight guys. It's a story about grief perhaps but it seems to celebrate people accepting who they are even if that's a little left of Centre, like cross dressing. The lead actress is fantastic at her role. It's a meaty premise, lightly handled with French charm. You don't have to be a rainbow warrior to enjoy it. Sure it's a little too neatly wrapped up, but it's like a little pomegranate in your salad. It kinda wakes you up.

"The New Girlfriend" is a film that will most likely challenge many viewers. After all, it presents some aspects of human sexuality that clearly will offend some and the film is filled with nudity. However, it is very well made in interesting throughout.

The picture begins with a lovely montage in which you see two young girls, Laura and Claire, as they meet, become best friends, spend their adolescent, teen and adult lives together. Each marries and Laura has a baby...and things look great. But then the young mother, Laura, dies and naturally everyone is bereft.

Some time passes and Claire (Anaïs Demoustier) goes to check in on Laura's husband, David (Romain Duris) and is shocked to find that he is dressed as a woman. He makes an excuse that he's dressed like a woman to make it easier for the baby...but it soon becomes clear that he's been dressing like a woman for years....just not publicly.

Through the course of the film, David/Virginia and Claire become close friends...very close friends. She helps him play the role of Virginia better but there is a problem...Claire's own sexuality is uncertain. She fantasizes about David being gay, though throughout the film he appears straight...even when he is Virginia. But her own feelings and orientation are quite vague.

The film explores the wide range of human sexuality and experience and does it quite well. It is very well acted and directed. My only qualm is one flashback scene where you see David undressing and caressing his dead wife...it's pretty disturbing and unnecessary. Overall, a well made film that leaves lots and lots of questions unanswered and might also leave the viewer a bit disturbed as well.

i am surprised to see negative reviews on this film. 1 star? I wonder what could have been so bad in the movie to deserve 1 star...

The first 20 minutes of the film are rather dull but as the film develops, the mystery unveils and the clichés disappear. Isild Le Besco (Laura) is fairly bad which is why the movie is so difficult to watch in the beginning, unfortunately.

Roman Duris (David) and Anais Demoustier (Claire) are excellent together. I could feel every line, every movement, every thought.

I felt deeply overwhelmed when the film ended. The trailer is perfect, as it doesn't reveal too much. Please do not read reviews of the movie with spoilers, you will certainly lose the surprise effect of the plot.

9/10

9 stars because of the beginning, otherwise WELL DONE Francois Ozon!

After going over the film list for TIFF 2014 this movie seemed to stand out to me. Based on what I was reading it was actually different from what I expected. I suppose my imagination is just not very creative lol.

I did see this movie with a female friend and she really enjoyed it as well. What I do remember if that within a few minutes of starting the whole theatre was in tears. And then a few minutes later we were all laughing so hard we were crying. That is all I will so so as not to spoil it. We did enjoy the acting, the lighting, the costumes etc. The ending was also very suspenseful and the way tings finished were very interesting. I guess you have to see it for yourself and make your own judgement.

I strongly urge you to watch it and come back with your comments, recommendations, suggestions.

The first film I saw which had a transvestite character was The Damned, some 50 years ago. In the intervening years we've had any number of accounts of a man (why almost always a man?) who has to dress as a woman. Ozon's film has a stale air about it which works against our enjoyment.

For me Anais Demoustier is the sole strong actor in this; Duris and Personnaz give capable support but she must carry the story, and carry it she does very memorably. The feeling is always that punches are being pulled, that possibly painful moments are being glossed over. I expected more anger from Personnaz's character when he discovered the deception (the weekend in the country with Duris, instead of the mother's house). Everybody is so well behaved, it doesn't ring true. La Cage aux Folles had more sting to it, you knew how bigoted some people were.

I haven't really enjoyed an Ozon film since 8 femmes of 2002. He's coasting, giving us tried and true subjects and clichéd situations.