Marco Berger has come out with another movie that’s really beautiful and sexy, but it’s definitely not like the ones he usually makes where guys are just full of sexual tension. This one is filmed in black-and-white and looks amazing. The director found a really weird way to show how humans connect and how sexuality works by using a "man as a dog" idea. It’s a pretty strange but interesting movie that makes you think. The story takes place in a world that’s parallel to ours, where two straight couples are on vacation on an island. You see two guys on a boat calling out to someone, and then this naked, lonely, and really good-looking guy shows up. In this dreamy kind of world, the group calls him a "man," but he basically acts like a pet dog. In this setup, the word "men" refers to naked male humans that people own as pets, just like we own dogs. People are scared of stray men just like they're scared of stray dogs. There are also "women" who ...
A Parisian couple, Mac and Beatrix, are enjoying a seaside summer holiday with their teenage son and daughter. While the daughter is off for a biking adventure with her boyfriend, Their son Charly is with them. Charly's best friend Martin also joins them later for vacation. The couple falsely convinces themselves that Charly is gay and that Martin is his boyfriend. Marc is initially uncomfortable with the idea but Beatrix is very happy. But the truth is only Martin is gay. Charly is straight and they both just happen to be the best of friends and Charly enjoys the fact that his parents suspect he is gay. Beatrix's lover from their hometown soon arrives there as well and we see some fun sexcapades between the two. Te lover wants something serious with Beatrix but she is not sure of leaving her family. Martin is teenage and has his hormones flowing and goes to local cruising place where Charly also follows him and meets a plumber Didier. Only later we find out that Didier is in fact an old lover of Marc from his younger days. But Marc wanted a family and kids and convinced himself to be straight. Beatrix and Marc confess their secrets to each other and thankfully there is no melodrama. The film ends a year later where all these couples (this time Charly has a girlfriend) come together in the same home to enjoy the summer.
The film is not path breaking by any means, its light hearted but I think thats precisely the reason it works. I loved the Dutch reference and how they are pretty cool about everything. All the scenes between Charly and Martin are really nice. Though Charly knows about martin's sexuality and that Martin possibly had a crush on him, this fact never comes between their friendship. They fight, they make up, they laugh. Its easy to relate with parents on why they would think the boys are a couple. Initially it is awkward to see why Marc is so uncomfortable with the idea of his son being gay but soon we find out why and it all makes sense. Beatrix and her rendezvous with her lover are all very funny. She clearly doesn't give a rat's ass of what others think and believes that everyone has the right to live their life the way they want to. Its rightly promoted as a sex comedy of errors, which it is and in fact is a lot of fun to watch.
I can't imagine anyone not liking this film. A fun light hearted very "French" film, that takes up topics like sexuality, fidelity, relationships, and youth and create a fun viewing experience for audience that ends up with a smile on your face. (7.5/10)
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