He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not
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French love story turned thriller in which a besotted art student (Audrey Tautou) pursues a married cardiologist (Samuel Le Bihan), taking drastic action when he seemingly rejects her. Writer-director Laetitia Colombani presents rather unsympathetic characters but is clever in initially deceiving the audience until the intriguing story comes full circle when repeated from a separate perspective. Subtitles. Some violence and sexual situations. A-III -- adults. (Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.) 2003
Full Review
A French art student's infatuation with a married cardiologist takes sinister turns in the romance-turned-thriller, "He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not" (Goldwyn).
Audrey Tautou captured hearts in France and abroad two years ago for her whimsical title performance in "Amelie." Now as Bordeaux painter Angelique, her gamine appearance again puts viewers in mind of another Audrey, as in Hepburn.
The movie opens as she is surrounded by roses and persuades a florist to deliver just one red rose to her love, Dr. Loic (Samuel Le Bihan). In the throes of love, she dismisses the fact that Loic is married, certain the couple will soon separate, despite the misgivings of friend and admirer David (Clement Sibony).
Self-absorbed Angelique sees life through rose-colored glasses. She has her heart doctor, a beautiful home she is house-sitting, and a scholarship to continue her art work. However, when Loic stands her up on his birthday, Angelique reacts with startling fury.
Just as the audience has begun to tire of her immature adoration of stoic Loic -- who seems none too appealing, either -- writer-director Laetitia Colombani virtually starts all over again. The movie's narrative is repeated but this time from the doctor's perspective, and an entirely new take on the relationship emerges.
Devotion looks more like obsession and the film spirals from candy-colored romantic yearnings to quite another tone of dark doings and surprising revelations.
Although neither Angelique nor Loic is particularly sympathetic, the filmmaker manages to hold interest for the most part with the way the script twists and turns in the second half. And although there is violent content, it doesn't sink to the level of over-the-top melodrama. Instead, in somewhat the manner of "The Sixth Sense," viewers will find themselves reviewing the first half in their minds as they leave the theatre, which makes it an intriguing thriller overall.
Subtitles.
Due to some violence and sexual situations, the USCCB Office for Film & Broadcasting classification is A-III -- adults. Not rated by the Motion Picture Association of America.
Movies have been evaluated by the U.S. Conference of Catholic
Bishop's Office for Film and Broadcasting according to artistic
merit and moral suitability. The reviews include the USCCB rating,
the Motion Picture Association of America rating, and a brief
synopsis of the movie.
The classifications are as follows:
- A-I -- general patronage;
- A-II -- adults and adolescents;
- A-III -- adults;
- A-IV**
- L -- limited adult audience, films whose problematic content many adults would find troubling. L replaces the previous classification, A-IV.
- O -- morally offensive.
** Discontinued classification. All archived movies that were originally in the A-IV category are now classified as L.