Film Review: MY DONKEY, MY LOVER AND I
WDCB’s Gary Zidek reviews the new French language film, MY DONKEY, MY LOVER AND I.
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The French rom-com MY DONKEY, MY LOVER AND I evokes a carefree warm feeling that makes it hard to stop smiling. When I say rom-com, it’s more com than rom, though there’s definitely a sense of romanticism. But it doesn’t come from where you might expect. French actor Laure Calamy is absolutely phenomenal as Antoinette, a school teacher with good intentions, but questionable decision-making skills. She’s having an affair with the married Vladimir, the dad of one her students. Early on, we learn of their plans for a romantic getaway together, but Vlad cancels the trip because his wife is making him go on a weeklong hiking excursion in France’s Cévennes region. Devastated, Antoinette rushes out the door, not to mourn their ruined holiday, but to book a trip to Cévennes herself, with a half-baked plan to casually run into Vlad.
What our heroine doesn’t know is that Vladimir’s family is hiking something called the Stevenson Trail, which is based on the real-life exploits of acclaimed author Robert Luis Stevenson (he wrote Treasure Island and Dr. Jeckyl and Mr. Hyde). He also allegedly hiked Cévennes with a donkey to get over the heartbreak of losing what he believed was his true love. You can see the parallels between the two stories. Of course poor Antoinette is woefully unprepared for the rigors of this kind of hike. She rents a donkey named Patrick for the trip and struggles getting him to do what she wants. Some physical comedy ensues. But as the film goes on, Patrick becomes much more than a comedic foil. He turns out to be just what Antoinette needs, a trustworthy friend and a good judge of character. Patrick has a knack for braying when a bad guy is around, serving as a protector for Antoinette.
Two things that elevate MY DONKEY, MY LOVER AND I above standard rom-com fare. One: the cinematography is gorgeous. Shot on location in south-central France, the area’s natural beauty including lush green hills, giant mountains and stunning forestry. And two: Calamy’s performance is pitch-perfect as a woman who comes across a bit naïve, but she isn’t dumb by any stretch. She has a good head on her shoulders, it’s just that her heart gets in the way sometimes. Probably all the time. But is that a bad thing?
Calamy won a Cesare Award (France’s equivalent to an Oscar) for her performance as Antoinette. This isn’t super deep material, but it’ll definitely put a smile on your face for an hour and a half.
I give MY DONKEY, MY LOVER AND I 3 out 4 stars. It’s currently playing at two Chicago-area theaters: AMC River East in Chicago and AMC Village Crossing in Skokie.
Peter the Donkey and Laure Calamy as Antoinette in MY DONKEY, MY LOVER AND I.
