Xavier Dolan’s third feature film, Laurence Anyways, is a breathtaking and emotional story of two soulmates whose relationship becomes complicated when the film’s protagonist Laurence discloses his desire to be a woman. Set in 1990s Montreal, the film centers on transgender identity and the passion-filled relationship of Laurence (Melvil Poupaud) and Frédérique (Suzanne Clément). Dolan’s visual stylings and an outstanding performance by the cast make Laurence Anyways a must-see.
The film begins with Laurence and Frédérique’s passionate and romantic relationship. Their lives seem to be going smoothly until Laurence’s birthday celebrations, when he admits to Frédérique that he wants to live his life as a woman, something he’s been struggling with for his entire life. After some deliberation, Frédérique chooses to help Laurence in his transition.
On his first day as a woman, Laurence shows up to his job as a school teacher in a green skirt, blazer and orange pumps. Dolan does an amazing job conveying the tension in the scene, the first of many scenes where the actors have the opportunity to showcase their talents and pull at the audience’s heartstrings.
Soon after his transition to a woman it becomes apparent that society won’t be as accepting of his change as Frédérique has. Both Frédérique and Laurence’s families don’t appear to be supportive and Laurence soon gets fired from his job as the community rebels at his change.
Tensions rise between Frédérique and Laurence, and eventually Frédérique leaves, unable to deal with outside forces and her own inner conflict of whether she needs “a man” or if she needs Laurence. She eventually gets married and has a child while Laurence finds sanctuary in a group of old women and drag queens.
Over the years it is clear that the two lovers haven’t lost their feelings for each other. The rest of the film deals with the continuation of Laurence’s transformation and the on-again, off-again relationship of the two over the rest of the decade.
The film seems slow at some parts, which its nearly three-hour running time doesn’t seem to help. However, the acting by Poupaud, Clément, and even the supporting characters nearly bring the film to masterpiece status. Poupaud brings a much needed believability to the transgendered Laurence, while Clément portrays the volatile Frédérique.
Dolan handles each scene as if making a piece of art, truly showcasing his talents as a visual artist. Shots are beautifully framed, sometimes taking up only a portion of the screen. Lighting also adds another aspect which Dolan handles beautifully to add to the emotion within a scene. Most scenes utilize a lot of contrast with the lightning, as bright reds and blues are found throughout the film, highlighting what the characters are feeling.
The use of music within the film also adds to the overall artistic feeling. Everything from 80s pop to classical music ties the film together.
In the end, Laurence Anyways could have benefitted from a shorter length but Dolan seemed unable to cut out any of his beautiful shots, something the young director will hopefully be able to do in his subsequent films. But where the film lagged in timing, it made up for it in its visuals, acting and storytelling. Laurence Anyways ends up being a compelling tale of romance and exploration of gender identity.
