Fanny Ardant and Roschdy Zem are not an obvious pairing for a romantic drama, but both
actors succeed in rendering the incredible credible and bring emotional depth and poignancy
to this stylish but largely predictable film from Liria Bégéja. The
film derives much of its impact from its use of contrasts, and often these are taken to
painful extremes (Ardant and Zem being a case in point). Despite this, the drama
holds together well, primarily through Fanny Ardant's moving portrayal of a woman
who cannot quite put her life back together after a failed romance. Roschdy Zem
is underused, or rather abused, by a script that slips too easily into caricature, but
he still manages to make his character believable and sympathetic. For all its faults,
Change-moi ma vie is an emotionally engaging
drama whose impact derives almost entirely from the darkly introspective performances
of two exceptional actors.
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Film Synopsis
Nina is an actress in her late forties who is struggling to find work after
her return to Paris. She has spent several years in Russia with her
lover, but when he left her she decided to return to France and resume her
once promising career. Feeling rejected because no one will employ
her she takes an overdose of pills and collapses in a public park.
The only person to come to her aid is a young Algerian man named Sami.
A former athlete who once had dreams of becoming an Olympic champion, he
is now reduced to earning his crust as a transvestite prostitute. Seeing
that they have much in common , Nina and Sami find they have a fondness for
one another which may soon develop into love. They make a pact: Nina
will persevere in finding work as an actress, providing Sami turns his back
on drugs and prostitution and instead commits himself to becoming a professional
athlete. It isn't long before Sami realises he will never be able to
realise his dreams, and so he falls back on drugs...
With so many great films to choose from, it's nigh on impossible to compile a short-list of the best 15 French films of all time - but here's our feeble attempt to do just that.