TIFF 2015: Lolo Review

Gala Presentations 

Julie Delpy once again pulls triple duty writing, directing and starring in Lolo, a French comedy that goes from charming to painful. Delpy plays Violette, a romantically challenged single mother with a successful career in the Parisian fashion industry. She meets the sweet but provincial Jean-René (Dany Boone) while vacationing in the country, and what was supposed to be a fling quickly turns into a full blown relationship. 

While at first it may seem like this will be a romantic comedy about Violette and Jean-René reconciling their different lifestyles, the main conflict comes in the form of her possessive 20 year old son, whom she affectionately refers to as ‘Lolo’. Lolo (Vincent Lacoste) is an artist who lives at home and looks down on Jean-René. As his attempts to sabotage his mother’s relationship go from precocious to psychotic, the film becomes increasingly uncomfortable and even rage inducing at times. 

The film becomes more about the feuding men and less about Violette, who is the more interesting character. The pretentious artist and the nerdy boyfriend are archetypes, Violette is the only one who seems like a real person, and the scenes where she is with her friends contain the snappiest dialogue in the entire film. This screwball comedy ends up being more screwed than comedic, and the meddling momma’s boy plot puts it somewhere between Problem Child and Xavier Dolan’s Mommy

Advertisements

Screens

FRI SEP 18 6:30 PM @ Roy Thomson Hall
SAT SEP 19 12:30 PM @ Isabel Bader
SUN SEP 20 9:15 AM @ Scotiabank Theatre Scotiabank 2

Want more TIFF 2015 reviews and interviews? Click the image below to visit our #TIFF15 hub

Advertisements

Dork Shelf's TIFF 2015 Guide



Comments

Advertisement



Advertisement


Advertisement