Man Is A Woman Review

Man Is A Woman
A young gay man tries to resist being emotionally blackmailed into marriage by his family.

by David Parkinson |
Published on
Release Date:

26 May 2000

Running Time:

100 minutes

Certificate:

15

Original Title:

Man Is A Woman

With a title taken from a Groucho Marx quip and a soundtrack soaring with klezmer music, this gay Gallic comedy opens like a cross between The Wedding Singer and In & Out.

As a Steadicam stroll through a sauna suggests, Simon (De Caunes) is at ease with his sexuality, but the prospect of a multi-million franc reward from his uncle (Aumont) if he perpetuates the family name sends him in pursuit of Rosalie (Zylberstein), a Hassidic soprano, who delights in Yiddish culture and pre-marital chastity.

When chronicling this tentative courtship, Jean-Jacques Zilbermann has no problem contrasting Rosalie's innocent adoration with Simon's guiltily repressed lusts. But events start tumbling towards an unconvincing climax the moment they wed.

Well cast and sweet, but insubstantial.
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