I think this film is very effective in showing the drama of a homosexual man who wants to be a father. The acting is good and the situations Manu goes through are real, this is what happens to a gay man in reality. There are two critiques that I can do. The most important one, the relationship between Manu and Phillippe is sort of "censored", we don't see them having sex and the re-encounter kiss is cut really really fast. We see very few displays of affection between the men. On the other hand there is a sex scene between Manu and Fina and several kisses. So from a gay point of view, there is sort of a censorship, or probably the actors were too inhibited to go all the way. I think it may have been necessary a sex scene or other display of affection between the men in the beginning before they split, just to be in balance with the "heterosexual" side of the movie. A minor critique, is that Fina and her mother are Spanish actors, and for an Argentinian viewer this is evident, though they try to copy the Argentine Spanish accent they don't get it right. The only real Argentinian actor or at least Uruguayan seems to be her father. But this is just a detail that doesn't affect the story.
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guy-bellinger20 September 2008For his first fiction film, documentarist Vincent Garenq did not choose the easy way out: he chose to write and direct a comedy of manners about a sensitive subject: homosexuality and parenthood. Describing the life of a gay couple is delicate and may give rise to either dirty or coarsely 'comic' scenes and Garenq's first and main achievement is to have been able to show two men in love and in conflict just like the two partners of a heterosexual couple, which makes the title of the film ('Like All Others') particularly relevant. One simple example: when the couple formed by Manu (Lambert Wilson) and Philippe (Pascal Elbé) find each other again after a long breakdown, we spectators feel no embarrassment at all at seeing them exchange a kiss. We have developed a liking for the two characters in the meantime and feel good, just like when a woman and a man who have split up for a while kiss tenderly for the first time after wards. Another success is the cruel 'romance' that unites Manu and Fina (Pilar Lopez de Ayala) and then pits them against each other. The moments of shared -and later unrequited -love are filled with true emotion, particularly thanks to Ayala's radiant looks and freshness. On the other hand, Garenq manages to go through all the aspects of the question and convincingly shows how hard it is to become a gay parent (homosexuals have to show their credentials whereas ordinary parents can breed children whatever their defects) or a surrogate mother (bearing a child for another and part with it as of the delivery is no pleasure cruise). These scenes always ring true, which is no small feat.
'Comme les autres' is in turn comic (Manu's repeated blunders, his family's reaction when he announces he has left his partner, will marry Fina and have a kid), moving (see above) and sociologically relevant. Wonderfully played by Lambert, Ayala, Elbé and the always reliable Anne Brochet, this film would be excellent if Garenq did not indulge in the easy solution in the end, while he had managed to avoid it throughout. Indeed by making Philippe, the man who hated babies, become a sugar daddy out of the blue, he demands a suspension of belief that is too much. At least for this writer. -
claudio_carvalho10 January 2013In Belleville, Paris, the gay pediatrician Emmanuel "Manu" François Xavier Bernier (Lambert Wilson) lives with the also gay lawyer Philippe (Pascal Elbé). When Manu decides to adopt a child, he has an argument with Philippe that does not want to spoil his life with a child and Manu hits the car of the illegal Argentinean immigrant Josefina "Fina" Maria Paredes (Pilar López de Ayala). They exchange phone numbers and Manu promises to pay the repair.
When the social agent visits Manu, she discovers that he is gay and the adoption is denied. Manu calls Fina and offers a marriage of convenience, asking in return for a baby. Fina does not accept but when she is arrested by the immigration, she moves to Manu's house and accepts to marry him. They live together for a while and Manu discovers that he is sterile. But Philippe accepts to be the sperm donor and Manu and Fiona schedule their marriage. One night, Fina sleeps with Manu and they make love and Fina falls in love with him. Is Manu a closet heterosexual?
"Baby Love" is a surprisingly good movie about parenthood and homosexuality, and the storyline may be resumed in a gay doctor that wants to be a father and tries adoption or using a surrogate mother. His decision affects his long-term relationship with his mate and brings confusion to him when he invites an immigrant and she falls in love with him. The story is very realistic and entwines comedy, drama and romance.
Lambert Wilson is a versatile actor but the gorgeous Pilar López de Ayala is amazingly sweet and beautiful. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Baby Love" -
oaksong16 April 2010This is a thoroughly French film. It has a light dry wit running through it with many little surprises along the way. Both humorous and painfully touching at times, it's never less than attentive to its main characters and their plights.
When Manu leans on his partner Phillipe to adopt a child their partnership goes awry. A gay man is not allowed to adopt in France and only married couples are allowed to have children via artificial insemination. This makes things very difficult. To be legal, Manu must marry.
Given the French way with a story this could have turned into farce but the director hues to the narrow path and tells the story without getting silly. I thoroughly enjoyed this film. -
tatararabuga3 May 2009I don't usually write comments after watching a film. But mid-way through this film, i decided that i must warn those who want to spend money on this. The film has great looks. It's got very nice cinematography. There are good looking people inside. But there's no passion in it. It's simply...sterile. There was no heat in it, heat that comes from human elements. The story, the relationships, the touch, everything is almost 'too' perfect.So much so that it seems cold.It's very hard to connect with any of the characters in any way. Also, the story is quite predictable. If you have never watched films about homosexuality or gay adoption, you might find the lack of heat comforting.Otherwise, you might want to avoid it. i considered the movie a waste of time.try 'patrick 1.5' or 'get your stuff.'
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ricardo_edm10 November 2017The film looks really good, the actors are handsome, the cinematography is good, and overall the movie has good quality. Unfortunately, the script leaves a lot to be desired. I am tired of seeing movies that perpetuate the myth of the gay man who has a fling or even a one-night stand with a straight woman, the "right" woman. I have yet to meet one or even hear of one gay man in real life to whom this has happened. At least if the character they presented was bisexual this would make sense but when they portray the character as totally gay and somehow the "right woman" makes him forget he's gay, the movie moves into the realm of impossible and that only does a disservice to the gay community and spreads untruths to the world at large. Furthermore, the change of some of the characters simply does not make sense (why is it that suddenly one partner absolutely does not want a baby and then all of a sudden he has no problem with it and then is happy with it). The movie is not boring but it's not something I would recommend unless you have nothing better to watch