A Pornographic Love Affair. Review on Une Liaison Pornographique Movie

Love is the answer, but while you are waiting for the answer, sex raises some pretty good questions. ~ Woody Allen

Like hunger, thirst and sleep; sex is one the basic biological needs of us mammals. Good sex is just as important as good food or a good 8-hour-sleep to a person’s over-all well being. However, it would be naïve to believe that sex is just about intercourse. There are a lot many different layers to it – sexual fantasy being one of them.

We all have some sexual fantasy or the other. If someone says s/he doesn’t, it’s obviously a lie. It is a different matter however, that our society considers them dirty and evil. As a result, most of them are neither discussed nor acknowledged(except among best friends in certain cases). Thus, practicing one’s sexual fantasy in real life is a rarity, partly because of the society and partly because fantasies are safe, while reality may not be.

To quote the lady protagonist from this film -

“Many women have gang bang fantasies. But no one wants to be raped by half a dozen fat truckers.”

So what does one do if one is single, fears the commitment of a long term relationship or(if committed) is not getting quality sex from her/his current partner? Or what if that crave to carry out the secret sexual fantasy becomes too much to handle? There comes the concept of F*ck Buddies(FB).

FB is basically a person whom you can call up at any given time and if s/he is free then you two can meet up to enjoy some quality sex together; nothing more nothing less. The relationship is purely based on physical intimacy with no strings attached.

Une Liasion Pornographique(akaA Pornographic Affair) is a film about two such f*ck buddies whose relationship starts as a casual fling but gradually turns into something more, as they start developing romantic feelings for one another.

She *(Nathalie Baye) is a middle aged woman craving to carry out a secret sexual fantasy. *He(Sergi Lopez) reads her ad in a magazine regarding the same and responds. They meet up in a café, both nervous & excited and after making small talk, get straight to the “business” in a hotel room which she had already booked much before he arrived.

The name of the protagonists isn’t revealed to us, because they both themselves never reveal it to each other. Radha or Rita isn’t important. FBs aren’t supposed to share with each other their personal details, family lives, grieves & triumphs. It should be plain pure sex. There is no scope for any cute “miss you” messages or any romantic dinners together. The talks(if any) shouldn’t go beyond the favorite movies and music bands. Anything more can ruin it all by adding to it the complexity of those intricate human feelings.

They however cross the boundary in their second encounter itself when they decide to meet up for dinner the following night. Unrealized they start enjoying each other’s company, looking forward to their next “date”. Romance unravels …and the two relish this newly formed companionship to such an extent that they even end up having normal sex(intimately minus the fantasy).

The movie poignantly looks at the plight of modern day relationships in the light of urban alienation. People are scared to commit. They are scared to express their love, for the fear of being rejected or ridiculed. So they start going in for one night stands, casual flings and open relationships.

In a purely sexual relationship there is no fear of rejection, as the other person doesn’t know the real you. So you can actually be yourself(for a change) and let loose; without bothering about being judged. Enjoyment is the key word there. I enjoy you, you enjoy me, and when either one stays “stop”(be it in between sex or for further meetings); “stop” it is.

The film also explores this preconceived notion that most couples have, of knowing their partner fully well. When in love, we feel we are the perfect partner for our beloved. No one can understand her/him better than us. We think that we know them so well that we can even comprehend their unsaid feelings to the hilt. Actually it’s nothing more than overconfidence of the first order.

He: We dont know each other.

She: People never know each other. Hell we don't even know ourselves!

The whole film plays in flashback as they recite accounts of their encounters to an unseen interviewer questioning them. Both are unaware of the other being interviewed. Some of the dialogues are so deep and meaningful that you can’t stop pondering much after the film has ended. The trip-hop music used for the beginning and end credits goes very well with the mood of the film.

The acting is one of the best you’ll see for a long time. The leads are neither subtle nor loud …they are like that cup of hot well blended coffee on a dark rainy night - just perfect. They got under the skins of the characters to the minutest detail and hence are able to emote as much with their expressions as with words. Outstanding Chemistry!

Direction is top notch. Frédéric Fonteyneknows his craft well and has told this story in a masterful way. Most cinematic sex is extremely attractive and arousing. Rarely love making is captured the way it actually is in normal life. Full marks to him for making it look so real.

As quoted in the film itself -

“Sex in movies is either hell or heaven but never between the two. In life it's often between the two.”

Writer Philippe Blasband deserves equal marks for bringing to words this simple story of two everyday people. They are not larger than life nor are they extraordinarily good looking. They are very much a part of the crowd like most of us …and their leap from “a pornographic affair” to “a pornographic love affair” just as enchanting as the one from sex to lovemaking.