Nothing to Hide aka Le Jeu, by Filippo Bologna and five others - Eight out of 10

Nothing to Hide aka Le Jeu, by Filippo Bologna and five others

Eight out of 10

Le Jeu is an interesting, at times amusing meditation on the excessive dependency that humans have on their smart phones, the social media and the constant communication through texts, postings, SMS that is coming though on a permanent basis using that medium which is always in our pockets.

The issues of privacy, secrecy, intimacy, sexuality, homosexuality, erotic internet games and exchanges are brought forward as well and a purported comedy deals with an interesting, challenging array of questions, themes, sometimes even philosophical and moral answers.

A dinner is organized by Marie – the always resplendent Berenice Bejo, best known for the landmark The Artist – and Vincent, who are married and have a teenage daughter that worries her mother, since at the age of seventeen she finds condoms in her purse that on one hand indicate precaution, on the other they point towards an active sex life.

Mother and daughter clash over the spying and foraging into the personal space, the purse that supposedly contains condoms for a friend – why is that? – whose mother is neurotic, paranoid and might look into her personal things – so that parent should talk with this one, should not she, on how to deprive the teenager of her privacy…

Ben arrives alone in the evening – he is portrayed by the formidable Gregory Gadebois, seen in Too close to Our Son - http://realini.blogspot.com/2017/05/note-on-au-plus-pres-du-soleil-aka-too.html.

Charlotte arrives with her husband, Marco aka another remarkable actor, Roschdy Zem, and this couple has some issues that would nearly explode later in the evening, in the course of the Game that is about to begin, initiated by Marie, who wants all present to place their phones on the table and then read aloud whatever text, message or posting they receive – if it is a call, it has to be dealt with the loud speaker and heard by the entire audience.

There is suspicion among the couples present, with the possible exception of Lea and Thomas, a younger pair that appear so in love with each other that they kiss frequently and do not show signs of worrying about each other’s philandering, speaking even about a child that they “work on” intensely – she even calculates that he or she might arrive in nine months, then in about five years they might have to move from their place to another.

The start of Le Jeu is mirthful, with a joke made by Vincent, who calls and pretends to breathe heavily to incriminate Thomas, then there is another moment when Ben answers his cellular, stands and then starts to do jumping jacks as ordered by a voice that belongs to an application which is meant to help him lose weight, stay fit.

No spoiler alert needed here since this is not crucial, but the film ends with this rather rambunctious character stopping his tiny Smart car – he appears a bit too large for it – on a bridge over the river Seine, approaching the parapet and for a moment giving the impression that he may commit suicide, only to start doing the same exercise, prompted by the now familiar voice of the app.

After the jocularity of the start of the game, there is the inevitable tension, that would actually increase to dramatic effect, reaching a climax when various revelations would transform the dinner into a near battleground, with the first moment when Marie answers her phone to receive details of an operation – surgery makes the friends fear the worst, but it is only plastic surgery, hence the occasion for some cynical exchange with the spouse, but not much more.

Marco takes Ben aside and asks him to switch phones, explaining that every evening, he receives a photo that although not very hard, would certainly cause a commotion and he would help to avoid what could be a drama, separation perhaps if he accepts the transaction.

Although his friend has refused, Marco makes the switch himself and when the photo arrives, the soft erotic picture is the occasion for jokes among the friends, making the husband think he has avoided the wrath of the spouse, up to the moment where he has to deal with the messages of his friend, that reveal the teacher to be a homosexual, or “PD” as the French would call it when they wish to insult the man.

The wife is aghast, thinking this proves her husband is not just cheating on her, but in the most unexpected manner and this is also the occasion for Thomas to reveal he is something of a homophobe…then we learn that Charlotte herself is engaged in online erotic exchanges – we have seen her taking her underwear off earlier in the Game.

As nobody seems to be pure here – indeed, there are no seraphims anywhere – Thomas is called by a woman who speaks of their not yet born…child, a climax that makes Lea suffer a breakdown, she runs to the bathroom to vomit and lock herself up, forcing the worried party to eventually break the door down to make sure she has not killed herself.

In a barrage of revelations, proves of infidelity and foul play, there is a memorable moment of exceptional parenthood, when Margot calls her father and Vincent is perfect in the attitude he has, explain to his daughter that he has given her the condoms so that she can be protected, she does not have to go with her boyfriend to use them that very night, it is her decision, he would suggest that she remains his little girl all her life, but that is not feasible and she has to decide for herself if she takes the big first step on that night – which is not advisable – but she has to know that she will always remember this moment and she might consider waiting for an occasion that would be happier than this one, when she is pushed into it by a boy whose parents are absent and wants to benefit from this.

Le Jeu is a remarkable, thought provoking motion picture; inspired it seems by a previous Italian made film.