Film & TV

Alliance Française French Film Festival Review: It Boy

AFFFF - It Boy

It Boy follows the usual pattern of romantic comedies but stays fresh with its amiable nature when a women meets a 20 year old guy.

 

AFFFF - It BoyAlice (Virginie Efira) is an ambitious young woman determined to make it to the top. When her boss Vincent (Gilles Cohen) refuses to see her potential, she wonders how she will achieve her aims. The she meets 20 year old Balthazar (Pierre Niney) and her life transforms. Suddenly looked upon as a ‘cougar’, her new man-eating reputation unexpectedly advances her career. Faced with maintaining this facade, her existence becomes increasingly frantic.

It Boy follows the usual pattern of romantic comedies. While this may have it at a disadvantage, it succeeds in staying fresh due to its amiable nature. A light confection, its cast are obviously having a good time displaying their talents at comedic farce. In Alice we see a repressed workaholic who aims to break free of her constricted life. With Balthazar she discovers the inner youth she has withheld for so long. In turn, Balthazar finds someone who enables him to discover the maturity he needs after going through life without much direction.

Director David Moreau spins a nice web of misunderstandings and romantic dilemmas. The Parisian locations work a treat in establishing an aura of charm and elegance. It’s nice seeing a comedy free of crudity and relying more on graceful wit. This lends It Boy a more dreamy air with the cinematography ensuring it bursts alive in bright colours. Efira and Niney work very well together, making their characters’ mutual attraction feel authentic.

It Boy is a very enjoyable piece of fluff that romance boffins should love. A breezy romp, it provides a nice antidote to the glut of similar movies that do not deliver on the promise as much as It Boy does so well.

Reviewed by Patrick Moore

Rating out of 10: 8

The Alliance Française French Film Festival screens exclusively at the Palace Nova Eastend cinemas from 20 March – 8 April 2014.

 

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