The Hairdresser's Husband [Le Mari de la coiffeuse] (1990, France) ****

The_Hairdressers_HusbandThe Hairdresser's Husband is a bitter-sweet unpretentious romantic film. Without showing nudity it is also highly erotic, and with its Middle Eastern music somewhat exotic. It tells the story of Antoine, played wonderfully by Jean Rochefort, who, as the film’s title implies, has but one desire – to marry a hairdresser. And so he does – marry Mathilde, beautifully portrayed by Anna Galiena, with whom he plans to spend the rest of his life. But this slow-pace film is more than just a character study. Relying on visuals, music and sound, as well as gentle nuances in the body and facial expressions of the characters, filmmaker Patrice Leconte paints a canvas of a world that is at once both surreal and real.
Not for anyone, The Hairdresser's Husband is a gem for film lovers.