RECOMMENDED
(L’homme de sa vie, 2006) Director Zabou Breitman and writing partner Agnes de Sacy contrive a simmering summery weekend in the French countryside in the charming diversion “The Man of My Life,” a lovingly shot and composed length of chat that’s ultimately a little too contrived in its plotting. Charting a sort of Gallic “bromance” between a married, middle-aged heterosexual man and a new neighbor who’s gay, Breitman and de Sacy do yeoman work trying to write about men from a male perspective, and the attempt deserves respect at the least. Any hopes for a memorable Rohmer-erotic roundelay of insights are ultimately dashed, but it’s a charming sophomore feature for the actress-turned-director. With Charles Berling, Bernard Campan, Lea Drucker. 112m. (Ray Pride)