VIDEO OF THE WEEK
Adventures of Felix (2001)
Directors: Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau
QQQ1/2
This charming tale revolves around the carefree bon-vivant, Felix, who is content living with his boyfriend, Daniel, in the little town of Dieppe in Northern France. When Felix is laid off from his job, he decides to take a road trip to Marseilles to track down the father he's never met. Backpack in tow, Felix sets out walking, hitchhiking, and borrowing cars to get to the South of France. Springtime is budding, nature is at its best, and some unique characters await Felix along the dirt roads and byways of the French countryside. Initially determined to find his real father, Felix begins to construct instead his own, elected ideal family, consisting of a "little brother," a "grandmother," a "cousin," and a "sister." Will his new family include his father? A wonderfully candid, surprisingly lucid social comedy, this engaging and funny film tackles some serious issues as well (racism, AIDS, xenophobia), and it does so with an unassuming freshness that only enhances its poignancy. In French with English subtitles. Not rated -- R equivalent.