Drôle de Félix (2000)
Directed by Olivier Ducastel, Jacques Martineau

Film Review

Drôle de Félix is a comparatively rare example of a gay film which appeals to a mainstream audience and which, for the main part, manages to avoid the traditional gay stereotypes.  Whereas most films in recent years about gay characters are predominantly doom-laden affairs weighed down by the spectre of AIDS, Drôle de Félix is almost the complete opposite.  This film's main character is sure enough HIV positive who has to consume a daily diet of drugs to stay alive, but this is presented in a matter-of-fact, almost light-hearted manner, not in the fatalistic tone that is more familiar to film-goers.  As it turns out, Félix's illness is just about the least important element of the film, and the fact that he is gay is almost as irrelevant.  The film could equally have been made with a straight man - or woman for that matter - as the lead character.

As road movies go, this is a pretty impressive attempt.  As in most films of this genre, the story is less about a search for a thing or person (in this case for a missing father), but more about a search for one's personal identity.  As the old woman Mathilde (played magnificently by the former singer Patachou) points out, Félix's search for his father is merely an excuse.  The film is ambiguous as what Félix is actually looking for, although the spectator can make his or own conclusions from the various liaisons he makes in his journey across France.

The most enjoyable thing about this film is the quality of the interactions between Félix and the people he befriends.  The dialogue is good, with some deliciously crisp humour in places, and the performances are equally impressive.  Sami Bouajila, who plays the lead character Félix, holds the film together very well and shows genuine talent in what is an emotionally demanding role.

The film is not without its faults, however.  Primarily, it is marred by its overly-enthusiastic attempts to attract a gay market.  The most blatant example of this is the "Ma cousin" segment of the film where Félix hitches a lift from another gay man with whom he shares a moment of unbridled passion (in an open field).  Not only does this weaken the character of Félix (who had previously curtailed a romantic liaison with a teenager), but it resorts to the tired stereotype that all gay men are hedonists who will take off with anything they can find.  Mercifully, this segment is short, but the film would have benefited if it had been cut completely.

Another area where the film is weak is in its handling of the race issue.  The film uses the fact that Félix is half-Arab to illustrate the problem of racism in France, but it does so in a half-hearted and clumsy fashion.  "White skin-headed bigots beat up Arabs in France"  is just about all the film is capable of saying.  This is another strand which should either have been developed more fully or else ignored.

In spite of these flaws, Drôle de Félix is an engaging film which, unusually, treats its central gay character with respect and sympathy.  Strong acting performances and a good script, with some beautiful photography of the French countryside, make it a memorable, contemplative film. The film's directors - Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau - followed it up with an even quirkier offering, Crustacés et coquillages (2005).

Film Synopsis

Félix is a HIV-positive gay man of mixed race who lives in the northern French town of Dieppe with his partner, Daniel.  His mother has recently died and he has just been made redundant.  In spite of this, he remains optimistic and decides to make a pilgrimage to the south of France to try to track down his missing father.  Hitch-hiking from Dieppe to Marseilles he meets a series of people who have a marked affect on him.  These include a gay adolescent looking for his first date, a lonely old woman who needs someone to rearrange the furniture in her house, a single mother who spends most of her time ferrying her three young children between their respective fathers, amongst others.