THE STORY – Sophia, a 40-year-old philosophy professor, has been in a stable and conventional marriage to Xavier for a decade. From gallery openings to endless dinner parties, ten years have flown by. When Sophia meets Sylvain, a craftsman renovating the couple’s new country house, Sophia’s world is turned upside down. The two begin a passionate affair fueled by their irresistible physical connection. However, Sophia comes from a wealthy family of intellectuals, while Sylvain comes from a working-class family of manual workers. As they get to know each other on a deeper level, Sophia begins to question her own values after abandoning herself to her great romantic impulses.
THE CAST – Magalie Lépine-Blondeau, Pierre-Yves Cardinal, Francis-William Rhéaume, Monia Chokri & Steve Laplante
THE TEAM – Monia Chokri (Director/Writer)
THE RUNNING TIME – 111 Minutes
Love is patient, love is kind, and sometimes love is complicated, especially when a hunky carpenter comes into your life and shakes up your marriage. Director Monia Chokri’s “The Nature of Love” follows her fast-paced and overly busy sophomore feature, “Babysitter.” In her new movie, the Québécois director continues to delight with her whimsical comedy style but takes a more grounded approach to a story about a bored married woman who gets a burst of energy in her life when she starts an affair. Featuring a sexy, charismatic cast, particularly steamy leads Magalie Lépine-Blondeau and Pierre-Yves Cardinal, “The Nature of Love” has all the makings of a classic rom-com, even if its momentum sometimes lags.
Sophia (Lépine-Blondeau) is a philosophy professor in Montreal who lives a comfortable life – and that’s a problem. She has been with her husband, Xavier (Francis-William Rhéaume), for ten years, and much of the excitement has been lost. Though he intellectually satisfies her – they can debate about dictators and philosophy at the drop of a hat – neither one is trying very hard to keep the romance alive. It’s gotten to the point where they don’t want to sleep in the same bedroom. Everything changes when she meets Sylvain (Pierre-Yves Cardinal), a carpenter who will be renovating their lake house. He’s got the look of the hunky, brawny paper towel lumberjack that everyone lusts after, and he’s simple with his thoughts and words, which ignites something in her. Once they cross the forbidden line, the passion between them is too hot to handle.
Lépine-Blondeau is the perfect rom-com heroine for this film. She’s got the look and charm, and she nails the quick-wittedness required from Chokri’s characters. As Sophia, she has hints of Julie from Joachim Trier’s Oscar-nominated “The Worst Person in the World,” which makes her more relatable than the typical rom-com lead. Both women are at a crossroads in their lives: In their 30s, they are not finding the passion and satisfaction they want from love. Xavier, like Aksel from “The Worst Person in the World,” is the safe and comfortable choice, but why settle for that when you can have a wildcard like Sylvain (who is also brought to life charmingly by Cardinal)? These two start a steamy affair that brings so much passion to the screen (a few of the sex scenes will flush people’s cheeks and maybe even make them feel a little hot and bothered).
As Sophia and Sylvain couple up, the excitement and momentum of the film starts to slow. It makes sense, as these two settle into their relationship and the monotony of everyday life, but Chokri handles the slower moments with lightness and comedy. The most significant difference between the two of them is their backgrounds. Sophia had an educated, sophisticated upbringing, while Sylvain comes from a working-class family of manual workers. The meeting of families and friends introduces a world of chaos for them both, as Sylvain’s loud and chaotic family is matched with Sophia’s snobby and even more chaotic pals, namely the dysfunctional couple Philippe (Steve Laplante) and Françoise (Chokri), who never fail to add a bit of energy to the film. It’s entertaining to see Sophia and Sylvain act like fish out of water as they get to know each other more – until it becomes clear that this relationship may not work.
That balancing act between comedy and drama is all due to Chokri’s sharp script. One minute, she’ll make you laugh over a 1000-word-per-minute conversation; the next, you’ll feel Sophia’s pain over a slight misunderstanding between her and Sylvain. The screwball style she injects early in the script makes this an easy film for audiences to fall head over heels for – until she slowly starts breaking all of our hearts when reality comes crashing down. Her splendid cast elevates these difficult moments even more, and sometimes Sophia doesn’t have to say anything because Lépine-Blondeau can show disappointment all over her face.
The film’s technical elements cheekily poke fun at the rom-com genre and keep the comedy alive throughout. Chokri and cinematographer André Turpin play up the visuals by zooming in on characters’ faces when someone catches their eye or by zooming out to reveal the true, often hilarious setting of a scene. The quick editing and music choices, which include sweet piano melodies, sweep us into the romance even more.
“The Nature of Love” will win over any hopeless romantic with its breezy, comedic nature. The latter is a staple of Chokri’s work, but it truly shines as it examines the complexities of love and life. Its biggest setback is its sagging momentum, which prevents it from reaching the highs of the rom-com genre. This one could be paired with plenty of films, but for those looking to go on an emotional soul-searching experience, it makes a perfect double-feature with “The Worst Person in the World.” Neither Sophia nor Julie, nor you or I have all the answers to love, but at least we’re all in good company in the process.