Les Deux Amis (Two Friends), France, 2015 image2.jpeg Director: Louis Garrel Stars: Golshifteh Farahani, Vincent Macaigne, Louis Garrel Viewed in Hungary at Cinefest film festival, Miskolc, 2015. Two best friends have their relationship tested when Abel tries to help his friend Clement with the latter's love interest Mona.
The French entry "Deux Amis" (Two Buddies) Written and Directed by Louis Garrel, starring himself, Victor Macaigne, and Golshifte Farahani. This flimsy French flick is of interest mainly because it is the first star vehicle for stunning exiled Iranian actress Golshifte Farahani outside of her native Iran. She appeared in a much smaller role last year in Ridley Scott's "Exodus Gods and Kings" as the abandoned fiancé of Moses.
Golshifte was a top star in Iran before being declared persona non grata in the Islamic Republic for refusing to wear a head scarf in Cannes, then, even worse -- appearing partially nude in a French magazine. Directed by and co-starring Louis Garrel, himself a popular screen heart throb among the younger crowd in France and the 'significan other' of Golshifte in Paris at the time of filming.
Plotwise this is kind of a poor man's version of Jules and Jim with Vincent and Abel both in love with Monica, but more in love with each other as it will eventually turn out. Unlike Truffaut's J&J this never turns into a full on ménàge à trois as Mona's (Golshifte) interest shifts from bungling loser Vincent to his cool love adviser Abel (Director Garrel). The rankling between the two boys is little more than an excuse to present the ravishing Golshifte in just about every scene from every possible angle. In one scene she even gets to show off her dancing chops.
The highly contrived three way plot is not very convincing but worth sitting through just to see Persian beauty Golshifte finally getting the full attention she deserves as the leading lady and star of a non-Iranian western film. Anybody aware of the serious off-screen romance between Garrel and Goldhifte will realize that this was Garrel's main purpose in slapping this lightweight actress vehicle together. Apparently this gesture did not help cement their relationship as they are no longer a couple off-screen. (as of 2015)
The question remains whether any director French, English, or other, is finally going to see the potential box office drawing power of this talented, beautiful charismatic actress and give her a major role in a real movie. Having seen some of her star appeal in her Iranian films before she was banned from return to the homeland it is clear to me that somebody out there is missing the boat. Ridley Scott found her but only deigned to give her a couple of small middle eastern type eye candy roles -- in 'Body of Lies' 2008, and Exodus, Gods and Kings, 2014, and the current piece of Gallic fast food is not likely to promote her international image. If I were a director or producer I would immediately cast her as the lead in a big budget film opposite romantic stars like Jake Gyllenhall, Ben Affleck, Joaquin Phoenix, Colin Firth, or even George Clooney.
Golshifte Farahani (now 33) proved that she is is a free woman by posing nude for the french publication Egoiste. This earned her permanent expulsion from Theocratically strictured Iran., Our gain -- their loss.
The French entry "Deux Amis" (Two Buddies) Written and Directed by Louis Garrel, starring himself, Victor Macaigne, and Golshifte Farahani. This flimsy French flick is of interest mainly because it is the first star vehicle for stunning exiled Iranian actress Golshifte Farahani outside of her native Iran. She appeared in a much smaller role last year in Ridley Scott's "Exodus Gods and Kings" as the abandoned fiancé of Moses.
Golshifte was a top star in Iran before being declared persona non grata in the Islamic Republic for refusing to wear a head scarf in Cannes, then, even worse -- appearing partially nude in a French magazine. Directed by and co-starring Louis Garrel, himself a popular screen heart throb among the younger crowd in France and the 'significan other' of Golshifte in Paris at the time of filming.
Plotwise this is kind of a poor man's version of Jules and Jim with Vincent and Abel both in love with Monica, but more in love with each other as it will eventually turn out. Unlike Truffaut's J&J this never turns into a full on ménàge à trois as Mona's (Golshifte) interest shifts from bungling loser Vincent to his cool love adviser Abel (Director Garrel). The rankling between the two boys is little more than an excuse to present the ravishing Golshifte in just about every scene from every possible angle. In one scene she even gets to show off her dancing chops.
The highly contrived three way plot is not very convincing but worth sitting through just to see Persian beauty Golshifte finally getting the full attention she deserves as the leading lady and star of a non-Iranian western film. Anybody aware of the serious off-screen romance between Garrel and Goldhifte will realize that this was Garrel's main purpose in slapping this lightweight actress vehicle together. Apparently this gesture did not help cement their relationship as they are no longer a couple off-screen. (as of 2015)
The question remains whether any director French, English, or other, is finally going to see the potential box office drawing power of this talented, beautiful charismatic actress and give her a major role in a real movie. Having seen some of her star appeal in her Iranian films before she was banned from return to the homeland it is clear to me that somebody out there is missing the boat. Ridley Scott found her but only deigned to give her a couple of small middle eastern type eye candy roles -- in 'Body of Lies' 2008, and Exodus, Gods and Kings, 2014, and the current piece of Gallic fast food is not likely to promote her international image. If I were a director or producer I would immediately cast her as the lead in a big budget film opposite romantic stars like Jake Gyllenhall, Ben Affleck, Joaquin Phoenix, Colin Firth, or even George Clooney.
Golshifte Farahani (now 33) proved that she is is a free woman by posing nude for the french publication Egoiste. This earned her permanent expulsion from Theocratically strictured Iran., Our gain -- their loss.