Only two filming locations (the terrace of a cafe and a restaurant), three actors (a man and two female friends of his) and no more than seven and a half minutes running time do not amount to much. But sometimes, as Robert Browning put it, "Less is more", which is the case for "Le complexe de Cyrano", co-written, performed and directed in 2003 by Camille Saféris (better known as a TV and radio comedian). At any rate, such a minimalist apparatus is enough for an inspired artist like Saferis to supply not only laughs but also emotion and food for thought. A single theme but rich in potential forms a strong backbone for the film and as the director manages never to get lost into details or superfluous digressions the issue is dealt with to the fullest extent possible. As I put it before, the plot could not be simpler: Antoine, a man who plays confidant to the love life of Dorothée, the young woman he has loved in secret for ten years, has decided to declare his feelings tonight at the restaurant. At the terrace of a café, Antoine tells a female friend about it. The action suddenly moves to the restaurant where he and his flame dine together. In the last two minutes, we are back on the terrace where the story finds its conclusion. But, as the film unfurls, the viewer comes to realize that all this simplicity is only apparent. For instance, does the restaurant sequence really follow the opening one at the café or is it a projection of the way Antoine pictures the way things might turn out. Likewise, the "good friend figure" embodied by Geraldine ends being called into question in the final seconds, thus putting it all into perspective again. As for the theme examined, it is addressed with surprising depth taking into account what little runtime the writer-director actually has. Can friendship really exist between a man and a woman? , what does being confidant really mean for two people of the opposite sex? , to what extent and to whom can you put your intimate life on display? , is there such a thing as platonic love?... It can be said Camille Saféris pretty well exhausts all these points. Which prevents him neither from displaying a fine sense of comedy (through gags born mainly from Antoine's embarrassment and frustration as well as from Dorothée's shameless lack of modesty) nor from showing artistic qualities (the warm tones and the subtle camera moves of the restaurant sequence) or from being an excellent actor himself, showing all the nuances of his character. In this field, he is well-served by his partner, Zoé Félix, whose irresistible charms (besides her faultless beauty) lie in her tremendous ability to use obscene language.
A little gem of a movie, which speaks to everyone and will accordingly make everyone smile.
A little gem of a movie, which speaks to everyone and will accordingly make everyone smile.
