Written And Directed by Xavier Dolan
Fred Bellair: "You have crossed the borders of my life, of my town, of my street. All that's left is my front door. I think you know where to find me."
I'll admit that this movie took two sittings for me. Mostly down to my unwise choice to watch it late at night but also because I might have rewatched certain moments to fully absorb what I was seeing.
I think it's also safe to say that out of the eight movies that Xavier Dolan has written and directed so far that this one might have been his most ambitious. It's loosely based on a real life person and had two captivating performances from it's lead actors.
Focusing on award winning novelist and literary teacher Laurence Alia (Melvil Poupaud), this movie saw a man with a great life, career and girlfriend in the feisty Fred Bellair (Suzanne Clément). Then on Fred's birthday, Laurence decided to drop the biggest bombshell he could've done.
Laurence has identified with being a woman and the majority of the movie would focus on Laurence making that transition into womanhood. Needless to say, it's a decision that would have a detrimental impact on Fred as her perspective was a driving force.
Fred seemed to assume that Laurence was gay but at no point in the film did Laurence show any attraction to men. In fact, Laurence dated another woman named Charlotte (Magalie Lépine-Blondeau) but the relationship didn't last due to Laurence still having feelings for Fred.
Fred herself had tried to move on and married another man and had a son with him. That didn't stop Fred attempting to reconcile with Laurence but their relationship had changed too much. There's something genuinely bittersweet as in spite of their efforts and love for one another, both Laurence and Fred couldn't make it work.
- I loved the Rose family that Laurence found. They really were a delightful bunch of characters to watch.
- Both Anne Dorval and Monia Chokri had roles in this film. Xavier really does like working with both of them. Dolan's father also had a small role.
- Standout music: Kim Carnes Bette Davis Eyes, Moderat's A New Error (that particular scene) and Craig Armstrong's Let's Go Out Tonight.
- Chronology: Took place over several years in Montreal, Quebec.
It's a lengthy movie but my God, I think Laurence Anyways really struck a nerve. It's a powerful look into the title character and the impact of their transition with a bittersweet love story spanning years and years.
Rating: 8 out of 10
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