At the beginning of the new millennium Patrice Leconte made two disappointing films in a row, this one and Rue des plaisirs, though being the work of Leconte this is not the same thing as saying they were disasters. He manages to imbue Felix et Lola with an indefinable air of wistful melancholia which is a perfect counterpoint to the faux gaiety of the principal fairground setting. The main thrust is the slightly off-centre relationship between Felix (Philippe Torreton) a fortyish carney man and Lola (Charlotte Gainsbourg) an enigmatic waif who carries an air of sadness around with her like a snail carries its shell. They play out their burgeoning love story against the ironically more 'normal' relationships of the carney personnel, warm and loving to a man. Leconte has made - and continues to make - so many fine movies in several genres that we shouldn't hold one - or even two - commercial and critical flops against him.
Review of Félix et Lola
