At least on the surface, Éric K. Boulianne’s uneven entry to the Locarno Film Festival’s Filmmakers of the Present section is a sexually sophisticated comedy intent on dismantling the romantic status quo. But underneath the assumption of erotic exploration and amorous liberation hides a coolly calculated reenactment of libidinous cliches and reaffirmation of norms. The winking claim to break up the reactionary rules of amorous relationships already starts by outlining the unwritten principles of romantic pairings like that at the center of the humorous story. It revolves around long-time lovers Julie (Catherine Chabot) and François (Boulianne himself) who have lost their sexual desire and drive after two kids and sixteen years of marriage.
From the beginning, it seems clear that this absence of physical sexual urges is something that needs to be fixed. Having no particular inclinations towards sex appears as an issue in itself. If not physical or psychological, then at least emotional. Never does the story consider that this assumption is exactly one of the sexual conventions – one of the most fundamental and aggressive – it purports to overthrow. By casting himself in the main role of the screenplay he wrote with Alexandre Auger, the Canadian director throws himself both behind and into this concept of allo-normativity and marital obligation. Instead of just living happily without sex or without the other, François and Julie have to save their marriage and work through their banging blockade.
Their proposed cure, far from the daring exploration suggested by the plot’s air of free-spirited curiosity, is in fact a staple, both of self-imposed relationship therapies and comedies about them. They open their marriage to the titular follies: playful escapades meant to rekindle their desire for each other and restore their libido. These rather tame episodes operate less as erotic wish fulfillment and more as a catalyst for an escalating series of social, emotional, and psychological pratfalls. In their tameness and normalcy, they say more about bourgeois prudishness than kink culture: queer kissing, visiting a modern masquerade ball, and getting a few BDSM toys. More bizarre than any of their erotic adventures is the hypocritical narrative about monogamy.
Polygamy on a purely physical level seems acceptable since it serves to preserve the marriage. The pretentious neutrality towards the protagonists’ uneasy first steps into an active open sex life turns intimate conflicts into comical anecdotes. Cinematographer François Messier-Rheault dresses the story in muted tones, close frames, and a lingering lens, attempting in vain to gloss over the off-putting clumsiness of the supposedly erotic escapades. Myriam Magassouba’s editing keeps the rhythm conversational, regularly letting moments drag out until they become cringy. While Chabot is capable enough at portraying her character’s mix of insecurity, curiosity, and embarrassment, Boulianne’s performance is frustratingly evasive, lacking in emotional nuances. Their on-screen chemistry suggests a certain camaraderie without sensual sparks.
Broad jokes and awkward situations make the comedic register as conventional as everything about this all too tidy affair. Intimacy becomes a private and social obligation, something that has to be achieved by overcoming personal boundaries. Despite the cheeky coating, Follies is all about convention, cinematically and sexually.
- OT: Folichonneries
- Director: Eric K. Boulianne
- Year: 2025
