Boyfriends and Girlfriends

Starring:Emmanuelle Chaulet, Sophie Renoir, Anne-Laure Meury, Eric Viellard, FranÃ§ois-Eric Gendron
Director: Eric Rohmer
Studio: Fox Lorber
Product Type: DVD

Editorial Review:
Amazon.com
The title of Eric Rohmer's sixth and final film in his Comedies and Proverbs series, Boyfriends and Girlfriends, makes much more sense in its original French form: L'ami de mon amie (The Friend of My Friend). In this series, each stand-alone film is based on a proverb, in this case, "the friends of my friends are my friends." Thus when conservative 24-year-old Blanche (the beautiful and talented Emmanuelle Chaulet) is befriended by wild-child 22-year-old Lea (the exotic Sophie Renoir), they find themselves each tempted by the love interests of the other. Fabien (Eric Viellard) is Lea's long-term beau, into windsurfing and hiking, which fills Lea with ennui; she'd much rather party all night. Blanche is besotted with Alexandre (FranÃ§ois-Eric Gendron), a ladies' man who barely acknowledges her existence and who is dating Adrienne (Anne-Laure Meury). But of course, as things always go, Fabien is enamoured with the sporty Blanche, and Alexandre finds Lea irresistible.

Amazon.com

The title of Eric Rohmer's sixth and final film in his Comedies and Proverbs series, Boyfriends and Girlfriends, makes much more sense in its original French form: L'ami de mon amie (The Friend of My Friend). In this series, each stand-alone film is based on a proverb, in this case, "the friends of my friends are my friends." Thus when conservative 24-year-old Blanche (the beautiful and talented Emmanuelle Chaulet) is befriended by wild-child 22-year-old Lea (the exotic Sophie Renoir), they find themselves each tempted by the love interests of the other. Fabien (Eric Viellard) is Lea's long-term beau, into windsurfing and hiking, which fills Lea with ennui; she'd much rather party all night. Blanche is besotted with Alexandre (François-Eric Gendron), a ladies' man who barely acknowledges her existence and who is dating Adrienne (Anne-Laure Meury). But of course, as things always go, Fabien is enamoured with the sporty Blanche, and Alexandre finds Lea irresistible.

Customer Reviews:

Engaging comedy by Rohmer.......2006-12-16

A young woman, Blanche (the lovely Emmanuelle Chaulet), works in the City Hall of a trendy New Town near Paris (somewhat to his discredit, Rohmer's films tend to occur almost always in middle class and upper middle class milieus, seldom in working class neighborhoods and never in the immigrants building projects). Having recently arrived there, Blanche lives quite a lonely life, until she becomes friends with another young woman, Lea (Sophie Renoir), through which she met her boyfriend Fabien (Eric Viellard), and an acquaintance of the couple, Alexandre (François-Eric Gendron). Basically, the movie follows the time honored plot of exchange of relationships. A is with B, and C with D, but then A will start a liaison with D, which will make C jealous, and would start going with B in revenge and so forth. The title in French is a pun: the boyfriend of my friend would (could) become my boyfriend. Rohmer is known to be a political conservative, but here he is hardly a moralist, since he examines the sexual freedom of today's youth without condemning it. The movie may seem to some to be slow and talky, but these characters are believable and appealing (if somewhat shallow and a bit better looking than ordinary).

A mess of relationships and mistaken situations, that somehow ends turning into an excellent movie..........2006-08-17

"Boyfriends and Girlfriends" (or in its original French title, "L'ami de mon amie", that is, "The friend of my friend") is the sixth film in Eric Rohmer's "Comedies and Proverbs" series, and my favourite so far. This movie is entertaining, and even somewhat funny at times, but it also makes you think about the nature of love, friendship and relationships, giving the spectator food for thought regarding those subjects.

The proverb on which ""Boyfriends and Girlfriends" is based is "Les amis de mes amis sont mes amis" ("the friends of my friends are my friends"). That proverb makes reference to the plot of this movie, something you will only understand fully once you finish watching it. However, I can give you some hints beforehand :)

The two main characters are Blanche (Emmanuelle Chaulet) and Leah (Sophie Renoir), two very different girls that strike a friendship. Blanche is shy, responsible and quiet, she has no boyfriend but likes Alexandre (François-Eric Gendron), an acquaintance of Leah's boyfriend, Fabien (Eric Viellard). Leah, on the other hand, is an outgoing and unconventional woman, accustomed to doing exactly what she feels like doing. She likes her boyfriend, but doesn't think their relationship will last, because they are too different.

Leah wants to help Blanche to begin a relationship with Alexandre, but Alexandre doesn't seem interested in Blanche, even though he pays a lot of attention to Leah, who happens to be exactly the kind of girl he is fond of. Blanche, on the other hand, slowly but steadily starts to realise that she has a lot in common with Fabien, who seems to like her a lot, even too much, if that is possible.

Do those hints seem interesting? Because, truth to be told, they lead to a mess of relationships and mistaken situations, something that somehow ends turning into an excellent movie, with plenty of the kind of dialogues that make Rohmer's films so unique. In my opinion, this is one of Rohmer's best films, and that is no small feat. Highly recommended!

Belen Alcat

"L' Ami de mon amie".......2004-05-31

This review refers to the Fox Lorber DVD World Class Cinema DVD Edition of "Boyfriends and Girlfriends"...

The final entry in Eric Rohmer's series of "Comedies and Proverbs" opens with this simple statement..."My friends' friends are my friends". A simple enough meaning..unless..we are talking matters of the heart. Then things could get a little complicated, as they do in this sweet and endearing French romantic comedy.

"Boyfriends and Girlfriends" from 1987 is one of those wonderful films that has staying power no matter how old it gets. It's a film about relationships...whether they be of a romantic nature or an enduring friendship, we see that times may change, but love, in any language(but especially in French), will always win out.

So in our little circle of friends in this story, we have Blanche and Lea, two young women, who although very different from each other, have become fast friends. There's the handsome and popular Alexandre, who Blanche has her eye on, but seems to be getting no where with, and last but certainly not least is Lea's boyfriend Fabien. Lea's and Fabien's romance is a little rocky, on the outs one second and hopelessly in love the next.
So far so good?....Now the fun begins...The gals tempt the fates,each devloping an attachment to the other's love, (this is where the matters of the heart get a little complicated), and who will wind up with who is anybody's guess!

The young stars(including Emmanuelle Chaulet and Sophie Renoir) are enchanting and will captivate your heart, as they try to work things out for themselves. Eric Rohmer's subtle wittiness, and his feel for human nature will leave you smiling.

Fox Lorber has brought to us some fabulous films in it's World Class Cinema Collection. This is one of them. The DVD includes filmographies, and English subtitles(which do not have the option to turn off).

Merci and enjoy...Laurie

"Some things are better left unsaid.".......2004-02-29

In the French film, "Boyfriends and Girlfriends" Blanche works for the Cultural Affairs office in a small urban town. She's 24 years old and single. One lunchtime, she meets Lea, a student, who lives with her boyfriend, Fabien. Lea and Blanche--although opposites in many ways, strike up a relationship, and soon they are the very best of friends. Blanche even begins giving Lea swimming lessons. One day, at the local swimming pool, Blanche spots Alexandre, and she's immediately smitten. Apparently, most of the women who come in contact with Alexandre are similarly smitten. He's a notorious ladies' man, but he's also known for his poor taste in women.

Lea immediately begins encouraging Blanche's interest in Alexandre, but at the same time, Lea emphasizes that he's not really Blanche's type. In fact, the more Lea talks about Alexandre, it seems likely that he's more Lea's type--at least she seems to feel the challenge of a relationship with him. Lea is also blatantly dissatisfied with Fabien, and she notes that with Fabien, "all my little games fall flat." Lea is just marking time before they break up.

Rohmer delightfully dissects the difficulties involved in both beginning and ending romantic relationships. The delicate progress of courtship is recorded before the characters even seem to be aware of the new relationships they find themselves in. The uncertainty surrounding Blanche's hopeful and desperate interest in the rather caddish Alexandre is touching. The characters--as always in Rohmer films--create all the interest. As a director, he enters the minds of his characters and studies their motivations through their conversations and their actions.

Blanche is sweet, pert and rather easy-going. Lea is much more elegant, complicated, and harder to please. Alexandre is very much at ease in his elegant skin. He's confident and suave--the complete opposite of the much more sincere Fabien. The film gravitates around the idea that opposites do indeed attract--and knowing one's 'type', does not necessarily lead to making better choices.

"Boyfriends and Girlfriends" is one of Eric Rohmer's Comedies and Proverbs series, and this series tends to be a little fluffier than many of Rohmer's other films. Rohmer's Moral Tales Series, for example, includes more substantial and philosophical films which deal with weightier subject matter. The Comedies and Proverbs are lighter--less serious fare and the other five films in this series are: "The Aviator's Wife" "Full Moon In Paris" "Le Beau Mariage" "Pauline at the Beach" and "Summer". Rohmer films are always full of conversations--there is rarely action here--and most of his films seem to mention, at the very least, holidays. The characters in this film find that their romantic lives are somewhat influenced by holidays. People seem to either love or loathe Rohmer films--the most critical find the films boring and pretentious--I, however, return many times to my Rohmer collection, and I am fascinated by the characters and the relationships they form-displacedhuman

GIVE ME YOURS AND I'LL GIVE YOU MINE.......2000-05-25

Another title of the famous " comedies and proverbs " cinematographic cycle of Eric Rohmer is now available in the DVD standard. I don't know whether the literal translation of the french proverb - the friends of my friends are my friends - does ring a bell in english speaking amazonians, but the various scenes of BOYFRIENDS AND GIRLFRIENDS illustrates, in a Rohmerian way of course, this french proverb.

So, let's admire one more time the subtle smartness of the dialogs and the actors who don't play a character but create a character by the sole charm of their ingenuousness, helped by a screenplay magistrally written.

With Eric Rohmer,Woody Allen and a few others, I know for sure that I'm going to pass a great evening and that I won't regret later these two hours. With years passing by, time becomes more valuable and intellectual pleasure more selective. So let's hope for more Rohmer movies to come.

A scene access, subtitles one can't remove and filmographies as bonus features. Images and sound surprisingly good for a Winstar release.

A healthy DVD.

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