Gripping story with well-crafted characters

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

.Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

bought this movie after seeing the intriguing cover shot and was quite pleased with the outcome after viewing it. story of two very different women from social classes who have a chance encounter at a friend's birthday party. Rafaela Anderson who plays the dancer/instructor is immediately drawn to the quiet and rather introverted character played by Helene fillieres. Helene starts taking dance lessons at Rafaela's studio and the two start spending time together which soon reveals a strong physical attraction. Helene is married and has a young son which complicates the situation but despite this she continues seeing Rafaela and before one knows it the two embark on an affair. what is striking to me is the androgynous look and appeal of Helene's character who looks completely different in every angle shot or close-up. she is just stunning to gaze upon. the love scenes aren't overly explicit though i did find the sound of the wind chimes in the background a bit annoying during the scenes. there was good chemistry between the two leads which is vital to a love story and the emotions that Rafaela conveys when Helene suggests they spend time apart. difficult choices are made but the characters stay true to themselves and their heart.

AMOUR DE FEMME is a well-produced film that deals with the trials and agonies facing women who come out as lesbians. It is quiet, subtle, beautifully photographed, and is fortunate to have a fine, handsome cast directed with sensitivity by Sylvie Verheyde who also wrote the simple but elegant screenplay.Made in 2001 AMOUR DE FEMME came to the screen before the popular US television series THE L WORD, a program that has provided a healthier look at same sex relationships between women, and though there have been successful mainstream lesbian films, this particular one avoids some of the pitfalls that have prevented wide public acceptance of the others. The writer/director does not surround her two main characters with the usual bar scenes and peripheral characters that can distract from the story of a sexual discovery, but instead keeps the story tight with a small cast each of whom makes an impact on the story.Jeanne (Hélène Fillières) is a successful osteopath/wife/mother who happens to reluctantly accompany her handsome husband David (Anthony Delon) to a birthday party for his best friend Franck (Jeannick Gravelines) and there she encounters Marie (Raffaëla Anderson), a dancer, and a chemistry develops resulting in an evening Jeanne enjoys very much. Slowly Jeanne and Marie begin meeting very openly, Jeanne is honest with David about her comings and goings, but when the two women's relationship becomes physical, Jeanne is faced with decisions about her sexuality. David confronts Jeanne about Marie, Jeanne confides her shaky mental and physical state, and when David eventually confronts Jeanne in a telling way, Jeanne understands her true self and despite her deep love for her small child, realizes she must follow her heart.The cinematography both in Paris and in Normandy, where Jeanne and Marie with Marie's younger brother Moïse (Thierno Sy) have spent refreshing moments together, is stunning. Both of the actresses are not only beautiful but also talented and yield a credible attraction and passion. The entire cast is superb. The one distracting element in the film is the sound track: there is a rumbling pedal point noise that accompanies almost every scene between Jeanne and Marie and is annoyingly distracting. In French with English subtitles. The DVD is very fine in execution, but there are not extras except for some video trailers. A comment from the talented writer/director would have enhanced the release. Recommended. Grady Harp, March 06

I am in love with this film. I especially love the soundtrack. Instead of a cheesy love song when the main characters finally sleep together, you hear the sound of wind chimes. Interesting.It's a genuine, feel-good movie. One of the few gay/lesbian love stories I have seen that conclude with a happy ending. It was refreshing. I love the personalities of the main characters and the obvious chemistry the two share.My favorite part of the entire film took place in the hotel bathroom. Jeanne was smoking a cigarette near the window and Marie walks in. She takes the cigarette out of Jeanne's hand and Jeanne says that she smokes a lot for a dancer. Marie smiles and says... "Not that much really... I have a rule... I only smoke... when... I'm... happy." Her facial expressions are unforgettable.

This is a quiet lesbian romance. A French mother/wife adventures into a world of self-expression, dancing, and lesbianism. The lead is pervaded by a thorough mistrust of her choices and feelings. She is aided in her internal conflict by her friends and husband who attack her with guilt. Will she do the right thing and follow her heart? Or will she succumb to patriarchal, close-minded society? Also a racial sub-theme as the lead's lover is half black.I enjoyed this film, but it makes for a quiet night. You never get the sense that the two women could be truly happy, only that they're a little less miserable together.