An unnamed man and woman schedule purely sexual encounters, no strings attached and no baggage, after they meet via an ad placed in an erotic magazine. Things begin to get complicated when they develop feelings for each other. During this realization of their mutual affection, their feelings are put to the test when the death of an old man outside the hotel room they frequent challenges what it means to dedicate one's life to a person they think they know (in this case, the character's don't) and serves as a reminder of the volatile nature of relationships.
The film opens with terribly cliched interview segments of our subjects (voice behind the camera intact), situating the viewer in an awkward position of trying to believe the characters' accounts while tackling with the fact that it's obviously a fictional narrative. One could argue this makes sense on a formal level though, as it reflects the characters' uneasiness and the superficiality of first impressions. But once the film moves onto their story without the hokey questions and documentary tactics it begins to pull us in. As the characters recount their experiences of getting used to their weekly sessions and becoming more familiar with each other, wonderfully poetic moments captured by the filmmakers reveal a tenderness and real empathy for the characters' feelings.
The film shines when it portrays their sensuality with grace and innocence. Foreplay underneath clean white sheets and playfully suggestive banter in a bathtub (what's going on beneath?), despite the scenes' carnality, portray the joy and purity of physical intimacy when shared with someone you respond to emotionally.
The film eventually charts the insecurities of a newly developed relationship and the fears of commitment. While both parties feel strongly about each other, their thoughts on how the other feels are completely misjudged. Out of fear of expressing their true feelings and leaving themselves vulnerable, the characters opt for an end to their tryst, leaving behind only memories of their brief but passionate affair.
Stylistically and thematically, An Affair of Love evokes a mix of Godard and Wong Kar Wai in terms of thematic content and some of the aesthetic choices. The film is wonderfully lit, though some of the compositional choices were a bit forced, with an over reliance on symmetrical/center framing for an "arty" effect. The film works best when it opens itself to spontaneity, featured most prominently in the love sequences. Nathalie Baye as "Elle", in particular, gives a wonderfully organic performance. Also, it's use of the post-rock band Rachel's "Lloyd's Register" from their LP The Sea and the Bells (1996) is absolutely fantastic and integrated seamlessly with the narrative. Check out the song here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkuUaHLZRds
Definitely worth checking out again.
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