In this clever and energized French comedy, an unlikely couple are attracted to each other. Baya Benmahmoud (Sara Forestier) is a free-spirited young woman whose father is an Algerian refugee (Zinedine Soualem) and whose outspoken mother (Carole Franck) is a political activist. Arthur Martin (Jacques Gamblin) is a middle-aged scientist from the Office of Animal Epidemics. His well-to-do parents are Jews who never speak of his grandparents who were killed at Auschwitz. She is fearless in her nonconformity, and he is shy and quite reserved. They meet each other in a radio studio where Arthur is being interviewed about the threat of a bird flu epidemic. Baya rushes into the room and argues that he shouldn’t be scaring people so much. Although quite taken aback by this outrageous woman, he can’t help notice what a striking beauty she is and the natural way she expresses her sensuality.
Because of a previous engagement, Arthur turns down her suggestion they go out, even though she mentions she always has sex on the first date. He then discovers that Baya has embarked on a campaign to bed right-wing politicians and whisper radical mantras in their ears during intercourse with the goal of transforming them into liberals. It is a creative take on the American 1960s countercultural slogan: “Make love not war." (We could certainly use a little of that in our times as well!) Meanwhile Arthur shares his political backing of Lionel Jaspin, a member of the Socialist Party.
Her political crusade doesn’t interfere with their own making of mad passionate love. She wants to teach him a thing or two and eventually tells him about a piano teacher who abused her when she was a little girl. Arthur meets her parents; he likes her father, an artist, and senses the fire in the belly of her mother. After postponing it for as long as possible, the couple and both sets of parents get together. Although talking about politics is forbidden, it works its way into the conversation.
Michel Leclerc directs this clever and creative French comedy that vividly conveys the foibles and eccentricities of this odd couple and their yearning to make a life together. Along the way he works in all sorts of riffs on sociopolitical issues, such as prejudice against Arabs, immigration, and ethnic identify.
Jacques Gamblin puts in a stellar performance as the passive and reactive Arthur but the entire movie works so well because of Sara Forestier’s extraordinary depiction of Baya. She commands the attention of the entire room wherever she goes and is a zealous crusader with her own vision of the world. Sara Forestier takes this juicy role and plays it to the hilt!
