Three forty-something friends are out on a combination of vacation and revival. As they travel around France they come in contact with some interesting individuals. Three of these individuals happen to be young men in their twenties looking for a good time and maybe a chance to spend some time romantically with the three friends--Sonia (Marie-Josée Croze), Cécile (Virginie Ledoyen) and Elise (Axelle Laffont). Each woman (considered by the young men to be a MILF) struggles with their own inner demons and must find a way to deal with these struggles. The young men serve as both a way to forget the realities of Eise, Cécile and Sonia, but also as a reminder that some of their better days are behind them. Will the women be able to find solace in their new relationships, or will the past come back to haunt them in unforeseen ways?
One major theme of the French film MILF is sex. The young men present in the film spend their days doing almost whatever they have to in order to spending time having sex with the three older women they have just met. Even with the themes present throughout the film, the writers (all six of them) and the director (Laffont) manage to keep the film feeling innocent and youthful. There is an energy present between each of the six main characters that allows audiences to feel relaxed. The odd, but beautiful juxtaposition of the mature content and the subtlety of how audiences are presented with the information leaves audiences wanting more without feeling stressed or overwhelmed by anything taking place. The story flows smoothly and freely, providing a sense of relaxation as everything unfolds.
There is a metaphor that spans the length of the film. When the women first arrive at the house where much of MILF takes place, they find a pelican present in one of the bedrooms, making it impossible for them to enter that particular room. As the story progresses and the women begin to change, some for the better and some for the worse, the pelican’s presence becomes better understood. As the pelican finally removes himself from the room (on his own) the metaphor, the film and each of the characters have run their course, bringing the true meaning of the bird and the film to light.
This metaphor, one that might initially escape audiences (as it did me), essentially shapes the film and makes the story worth watching. While the comedy is enough to make one chuckle on occasion, it is the drama attached to each character’s story that intrigues audiences the most. The metaphor extends into the lives of those watching and allows them to make connections (regardless of how small) to their lives and struggles. MILF does what every film hopes to and reaches its audience on an emotional level. Audiences feel connected to the characters and their stories, ultimately leading them to the feeling of success.
While the story connects to each viewer uniquely, I think it is safe to say that MILF does its job. It’s funny (albeit not too funny) and attracts audiences through the sometimes subtle, sometimes raunchy humor. But, even better than the humor, the meaningfulness behind each character and their story transcends audiences and provides them an opportunity to take a step back, evaluate their own lives and express (even if only to themselves) their pleasures, failures and goals. MILF is wonderfully done and speaks to audiences in the best way possible.
Written & Directed by Axelle Laffont. Starring Axelle Laffont, Marie-Josée Croze, Virginie Ledoyen, Waël Sersoub, Matthias Dandois, Victor Meutelet, etc.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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