Angèle,
a beautician in her forties, works in a skin care and manicure salon
in Paris with two pretty co-workers half her age and her elegant boss
Nadine. A stream of colorful clients (including such luminaries as
directors Claire Denis and Brigitte Roüan, and actresses Edith
Scob and Liliane Rovère) passes through, engaging in hilarious
girl talk with the quartet of beauticians. Angèle always lends
a sympathetic ear to her clients, soothing away their worries and
sending them back into the world refreshed--though she seems incapable
of giving herself the same revitalizing treatment. Once wounded in
love, Angèle has sworn off emotional intimacy with men, instead
pursuing a series of reckless one-night stands in which she believes
she has a chance of maintaining control, even if she’s often
left feeling humiliated. But one day a scruffy sculptor named Antoine
falls madly in love with her and starts stalking her, lurking outside
the salon and observing her every move from afar. His intense devotion
so intrigues her that she begins dating him, gradually realizing that
he represents a final chance at true love. A strong dose of satire
lends a cold undercurrent to this otherwise frothy romantic comedy,
distinguished by the fine ensemble acting of four generations of women.
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| PHOTO Courtesy
of Lot 47 Films |
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