MA VIE EN L’AIR/ WHERE IS THE LOVE?/LOVE IS IN THE AIR
France, 2005, 105 minutes, Colour.
Vincent Elbaz, Marion Cotillard, Gilles Lellouche, Elsa Kikoine, Didier Bezace, Tom Novembre, Philippe Nahon.
Directed by Remi Bezancon.
This is a light romantic comedy, French style, with touches of realism and plot touches of surrealism.
The central character, Yann, Vincent Elbaz, has a fear of flying. And this is odd, because his work is supervising in a flight simulator, many sequences showing the would-be pilots, Yann and his talent in giving advice.
The film has a framework of a flight to Tahiti from Paris, Yann’s fear of flying, the possibility of a crash, his going to the cockpit, the pilot being one of his former students who had failed many of the tests but Yann had allowed him through… This is repeated at the end but Yann shows his ability, the captain and his skills, and a safe landing.
But, this means that the film can go back to Yann and his childhood, his devotion to his father, growing up but not growing up emotionally, caught up in a romance with a young woman, Charlotte, but then losing her for 10 years. There is also his friend, Ludo (Gilles Lellouche in a very early role) and meeting his acquaintance, Alice (Marion Cotillard before her Oscar-winning performance as Edith Piaf).
So, there are Yann’s ups and downs in his emotional life, Ludo telling him that he seems to be unable to say no to anything – while enjoying Alice’s company, not recognising her devotion to him, he meets Charlotte again, finds that she is more dominating than he remembered, wanting a child, and his promising to marry her.
Comic situations, misguided romance, Ludo finally sitting down and working for his funeral director father, Yann flying to Tahiti – and meeting Alice again on the beach.
1. The title? Flying? Flight simulation? Phobias? Overcoming phobias?
2. A romantic comedy, the realism of the plot, the romanticism of the plot, credibility?
3. The framework of the drama, the flight, to Tahiti, Yann on board, his fears, the difficulty of the plane, in the cockpit, the possible crash? This beginning for the flashbacks to Yann’s story? The resumption at the end, the audience knowing more about Yann and his fears, having seen the scenario, the story of the pilot and his tests, Yann and his advice, bringing down the plane safely?
4. Yann, his story, the strong relationship with his father? Growing up, fear of flight, yet his work, the many simulation scenes, his advice, his skills, Ludo and the hostage situation, Castelot and his wanting a license, failing, Yann allowing him the license, and their final success?
5. Yann, his age, not growing up, at 20, social, friendship with Ludo? Ludo’s father, the company business, funerals, the father wanting Yann to intervene, Ludo refusing, moving in, staying for years?
6. Yann, women, the encounter with Charlotte, the lift, the attraction, moving in, the relationship? Yann having to prove himself with flight? Charlotte’s disappearance? For 10 years? His yearning for her? Ludo finding her, joking about her children and weight, telling the truth, Yann meeting her again? The episode of the letter, in the post box, the fire, bombing the fluid, the van passing by? Her responding to the letter? Their meeting, renewing the love, but Charlotte taking over? Wanting a child, wanting to marry? Yann and his inability to say no?
7. Ludo always in the background, the contrast with Yann, their friendship, advice, his lounging around the house, the friendship with Alice?
8. Alice, friendship with Ludo, meeting Yann, her radio program and his listening? The meetings? The background of her marriage and its failure and her betrayal? Their talking, getting to know each other? Yann relying on her? Her wise advice?
9. The attraction between the two, Alice, the meetings, Yann telling her about Charlotte, his telling her about the marriage? The disappointment? Going to Tahiti? Ludo and his advice?
10. Yann, the wedding, his running away, getting the flight?
11. The happy ending on the beach in Tahiti?
