Kiss

Sex changes everything. We’ve learned in life, and in film, that friendships shift radically when bed-hopping joins the menu. The nether world of “friends with benefits” notwithstanding, this rule of attraction is known by pretty much everyone. Except, perhaps, the folks behind “Shall We Kiss?”

Despite the enticing title, it’s not especially sexy or romantic, but rather a farcical French film from writer-director-star Emmanuel Mouret.

A man and a woman meet and share a lovely evening. When he goes to kiss her goodnight, she resists. She then explains why even a seemingly innocent kiss can lead to all manner of sexual torment and conniving. Gabriel (Michael Cohen) is in for a lot of listening, because Emilie (Julie Gayet) has a long story to tell, about another couple.

It’s a movie-within-a-movie and soon we’re entangled in the lives of Judith (Virginie Ledoyen) and Nicolas (Mouret). Close friends since childhood, Judith is now married but relies on Nicolas for griping and gossiping between glasses of wine. When he suggests they add physical affection, we leap to the absurd, with a paint-by-numbers sex scene: “May I caress your other breast?” Nicolas requests; “Do you mind if I close my eyes?” asks Judith.

It has all the self-conscious, relationship-dissecting dialogue of a Woody Allen movie, just not as funny.

“Shall We Kiss?,” which played here in March as part of the Cleveland International Film Festival, is cute, charming, silly and sweet. Kind of. The problem is that the premise can only carry the film so far, and Mouret is wearing too many hats. He’s not the most gifted actor, and a more winning performance in the pivotal role of Nicolas would have greatly enhanced the proceedings.

And what of the first couple, Emilie and Gabriel? Will they get their first-kiss moment and find melodic melding somewhere between love, friendship, and chemical attraction? What do you think?

See The Trailer Here –

Related Content