Much of what goes on in this delightful French comedy drama by Marc Fitoussi remains unspoken, told through body language, humorous subtext and knowing glances. Ultimately it’s about yearning, the frustration of routine, and the tantalizing glimpse of life in another place, with another person. But what’s most appealing is its originality. Just when you think you know where it’s heading, something unexpected happens, all unfolding with the messy authenticity of real life. Perceptive and subtle, it’s almost impossible to predict what each of the characters will do next.
Isabelle Huppert is wonderfully understated in the role of a long-married farmer frustrated with her existence. She ventures to the city, hoping for an affair. As she blushes under a much younger man’s affections, it’s easy to feel every emotion she’s going through. Even Paris escapes the romantic cliché. Brigitte finds herself traipsing between American clothing shops and feeling vertigo on the ferris wheel.
Folies Bergère deals intimately with universal themes, and it’s the small, oddball details – from Brigitte’s skin condition, to her son’s vocation as an acrobat, to the amusing way in which she meets another man – that add delight and depth. Likewise, none of the characters succumb to stereotypes. This must be one of the first French films to feature a prize cattle-breeding couple, and a charming Danish periodontist (played by Swedish actor Michael Nyqvist of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo).
Best of all, the story resolves in a surprising yet satisfying way. A truly romantic comedy.
