AMOUR DE FEMME is a well-produced film that deals with the trials and agonies facing women who come out as lesbians. It is quiet, subtle, beautifully photographed, and is fortunate to have a fine, handsome cast directed with sensitivity by Sylvie Verheyde who also wrote the simple but elegant screenplay.Made in 2001 AMOUR DE FEMME came to the screen before the popular US television series THE L WORD, a program that has provided a healthier look at same sex relationships between women, and though there have been successful mainstream lesbian films, this particular one avoids some of the pitfalls that have prevented wide public acceptance of the others. The writer/director does not surround her two main characters with the usual bar scenes and peripheral characters that can distract from the story of a sexual discovery, but instead keeps the story tight with a small cast each of whom makes an impact on the story.Jeanne (Hélène Fillières) is a successful osteopath/wife/mother who happens to reluctantly accompany her handsome husband David (Anthony Delon) to a birthday party for his best friend Franck (Jeannick Gravelines) and there she encounters Marie (Raffaëla Anderson), a dancer, and a chemistry develops resulting in an evening Jeanne enjoys very much. Slowly Jeanne and Marie begin meeting very openly, Jeanne is honest with David about her comings and goings, but when the two women's relationship becomes physical, Jeanne is faced with decisions about her sexuality. David confronts Jeanne about Marie, Jeanne confides her shaky mental and physical state, and when David eventually confronts Jeanne in a telling way, Jeanne understands her true self and despite her deep love for her small child, realizes she must follow her heart.The cinematography both in Paris and in Normandy, where Jeanne and Marie with Marie's younger brother Moïse (Thierno Sy) have spent refreshing moments together, is stunning. Both of the actresses are not only beautiful but also talented and yield a credible attraction and passion. The entire cast is superb. The one distracting element in the film is the sound track: there is a rumbling pedal point noise that accompanies almost every scene between Jeanne and Marie and is annoyingly distracting. In French with English subtitles. The DVD is very fine in execution, but there are not extras except for some video trailers. A comment from the talented writer/director would have enhanced the release. Recommended. Grady Harp, March 06

I am in love with this film. I especially love the soundtrack. Instead of a cheesy love song when the main characters finally sleep together, you hear the sound of wind chimes. Interesting.It's a genuine, feel-good movie. One of the few gay/lesbian love stories I have seen that conclude with a happy ending. It was refreshing. I love the personalities of the main characters and the obvious chemistry the two share.My favorite part of the entire film took place in the hotel bathroom. Jeanne was smoking a cigarette near the window and Marie walks in. She takes the cigarette out of Jeanne's hand and Jeanne says that she smokes a lot for a dancer. Marie smiles and says... "Not that much really... I have a rule... I only smoke... when... I'm... happy." Her facial expressions are unforgettable.

This is a quiet lesbian romance. A French mother/wife adventures into a world of self-expression, dancing, and lesbianism. The lead is pervaded by a thorough mistrust of her choices and feelings. She is aided in her internal conflict by her friends and husband who attack her with guilt. Will she do the right thing and follow her heart? Or will she succumb to patriarchal, close-minded society? Also a racial sub-theme as the lead's lover is half black.I enjoyed this film, but it makes for a quiet night. You never get the sense that the two women could be truly happy, only that they're a little less miserable together.

"Amour de Femme" is a French TV flick which tells of a married woman (Fillières) osteopath with a young son who falls in love with am unmarried female dance instructor (Anderson). The film flows with the same natural grace and delicacy we've all seen in heterosexual romantic films bringing love to life from the initial encounter to the tender beginnings to the ultimate realization and beyond. Though the film deals with the married woman's inner turmoil and spousal conflicts, those tempestuous elements are minimalized with the body of the film dedicated to creating a palpable love with only brief sex and nudity. The fact that both women are extraordinarily beautiful makes this film an idealized rendering of lesbian love which is a pleasure to watch. Should be an enjoyable film for same sex couples with some appeal for the general public interested in the premise. (B)