I have a limited term complimentary amazon prime subscription; it
comes handy for catching up on recent French films, some of
which have never been on subtitled DVD.

_The Three Way Wedding_ is a literary farce about an aging playwright
(Pascal Greggory)'s attempt to finish a play supposed to star
his ex-wife (Julie Depardieu) and a fresh-faced young actor (Louis
Garrel). She brings him to her ex's cottage, who finds out they are
getting married. Jealous rage, mayhem, whimsical musings, and even
attempted murder ensue. Meanwhile, he and his shy young intern/secretary
are warily circling the prospect of a furtive romance. I'm not sure
why the film isn't called _Four Way Wedding_ instead. The dialog
alternates between good and incomprehensible (the subtitles may
be at fault), and it is meant to be a farce, not entirely believable
anyway. The young girl's change of mind seems a particularly silly
plot device. The best thing about the film is the spectacle of
veteran character actress Julie Departdieu in a rare starring role.

_Heat Wave_ is a disappointing, nihilistic ensemble tale about
the sorrows of immigrants, retirees, the economically disadvantaged,
and the obese. It has no great insight on any of those subjects and
chooses to wallow in the misery. The less said the better.

Nicole Garcia's _Going Away_ is about class difference too, but
it is such a bracing, humanistic gem. This is the third directorial
effort by the one-time Godard actress I've seen now. I wish I
remember more about _Place Vendome_, starring Catherine Deneuve
as an alcoholic who takes control of her jewelry shop in the
famed Parisian locale. Garcia seems much more at home in the
romance/mystery _A View of Love_, set in sunny South of France
and Algeria, in modern times and inside the labyrinths of memory
(Garcia grew up in Algeria herself). The film showcases Garcia's
talent in working with actors; Marie-Josee Croze is amazing in it.

Like _A View of Love_, _Going Away_ is co-scripted by Jacques
Fieschi and Garcia. It starts out being about a single mother
(Louise Bourgoin) working as a spunky small-town waitress on the
Mediterranian coast, hiding from her debtors after her resturant
has failed. She is rescued by her son's temporary teacher (Pierre
Rocheford) who is running from something too; he only stays in one
place for three weeks or less and leaves. They flee to his well-to-do
family house, which he hasn't visited for years -- and the film
switches its focus on him and his dark history. The narrative
structure is quite daring; it reminds me of _Alice and Martin_.
The relationship between the two leads is perhaps not nearly as
well developed as that between Binoche, Amalric, and Loret in
Techine's 2000 film. However, the slightly jagged structure
forces the audience to ponder the unlikely rapport between the
two leads, takes them out of their comfort zone. Like _A View of
Love_, the screenplay has real depth; it reaches beyond the
psychological and touches on the universal.

Rochefort's stoic turn is not nearly as memorable as Bourgenie's
high wire act. Full of spirit and attitude, boasting more mystery
and tattoos than TV's "Blindspot" triple agent, Bourgenie has
blossomed into an impressive actress. Garcia flatters the actress
with extremely sensitive and expressive camera work (lots of graceful,
fluid over-the-shoulder shots, seemingly a lost art these days). But
the second act belongs to Dominique Sanda as the imperious matriach and
Deborah Francois as the once-fond sister. Francois has been quietly
making her mark as a character actress lately; perhaps she will be
the next Julie Depardieu?

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