La Discrete

"La Discrete" is yet another French film trying to analyze the battle of the sexes. But it might have been more successful if it had spent more time on the female protagonist (Judith Henry), a vulnerable young student, than the male protagonist (Fabrice Luchini), a self-absorbed jerk.

Luchini is a speechwriter and aspiring novelist, whose best friend, a bookstore owner and small-time publisher (Maurice Garrel) sets him on a male chauvinist quest.

Having been dumped for the first time in all his years of womanizing,

Luchini is angry and wants

revenge. So, Garrel suggests he purposely meet a stranger, romance and win her, then dump her, all the while writing a book about his exploits.

Luchini does so, and as you might expect, finds in Henry a young woman who is completely disarming. At first he considers her ugly and has no interest but eventually he is won over by her innocent charms and eventually beds her.

His intention, of course, is to merely walk away and continue his book but he is so won over by her, he has second thoughts. So, Garrel takes action to prevent the book from taking an undesirable romantic turn.

Part of the problem here is that that Luchini's character is too talky and much of that talk is boring. If it had been funnier or more clever, the audience might be able to better warm up to him. As it is, about two-thirds into the film I was just wishing he'd shut up.

Further, Henry is so charming and without guile that audience sympathy goes completely in her direction — but the film isn't really about her and she doesn't get nearly enough screen time.

"La Discrete" is not rated but would probably get a PG for implied sex and some profanity and graphic sex talk.