Cover (2007)

A young married couple and their daughter move to Philadelphia to build on their life together. However, once there, the father Dutch Maas (Razaaq Adoti) starts to have the moves put on him by his ex-girlfriend. Little by little, his naive church-going wife Valerie Maas (Aunjanue Ellis) starts to suspect, with the help of her protective friend, that Dutch may not be as faithful as he’s pretending to be.

When a man is murdered on New Year's Eve, the prime suspect is Valerie, whose life unravels when she discovers that her husband of 15 years has been leading a double life. Dutch is actually a closeted homosexual. This leads to a great deal of emotional trauma for both the wife and the husband--as well as to a murder investigation subplot that's used to frame the story. Valerie is arrested and charged with murder. Things become complicated when its clear the Assistant District Attorney prosecuting the case doesn't care if she's guilty since he's looking to win the up coming election. Her strength of character and faith keeps the family alive as the investigation threatens to destroy all that they have known.

This is a well-meaning and well-intentioned film, but its attempt to deal honestly with a serious social issue often falls victim to slick melodramatics. Many scenes will have you rolling your eyes in disbelief, even while conceding that some of the points the movie is making are valid. The film does give a fair hearing to each of its torn and conflicted characters. It's like an urbanized African-American version of "Brokeback Mountain"-- only this time told from the viewpoint of the spouse rather than the two male lovers. There are many clichés and stereotypes, such as the cheating husband, the broken wife, and an angry female best friend. Plus, the acting tends to be over-the-top and there are too many "dark secrets". The redeeming aspects of this entertaining film are its twists and it adresses an important topic rarely talked about or shown in the cinematic world. Kurt Farquhar composed the music, Aaron Rahsaan Thomas wrote the screenplay, and Bill Duke directed.

Avril (2006)

Avril (Sophie Quinton) is a novice in a convent of "Baptistine" sisters, a monastic order which was officially dissolved at the end of the nineteenth century but is kept alive by Mère Marie Joseph (Geneviève Casile), the sadistic superior. The rule she imposes on the nuns is particularly strict but this is all Avril has ever known since she was born. She was an abandoned child raised by the nuns with the intention of making her one of them. Mère is unhinged and violent, and thinks nothing of throwing temper tantrums in chapel and even less of stabbing Avril. With the exception of Soeur Bernadette (Miou-Miou), a sympathetic sister, all the nuns are of pensionable age. While Avril is on retreat, locked in for a fortnight in a chapel prior to taking her vows, Soeur Bernadette discloses a secret to her: she has a twin brother and she encourages her to go looking for him.

She leaves the convent to find him and experiences secular life. Along her journey she meets people who open her eyes to the outside world. If that isn't enough, she falls in with Pierre (Nicolas Duvauchelle), a young traveling hardware merchant who accompanies her through most of her sabbatical and develops a crush on her. She finds her gay brother David (Clement Sibony) and his lover Jim (Richaud Valls) in the company of Pierre. The unlikely foursome form a tight bond during a vacation by the beach in a holiday atmosphere. Avril gradually discovers her body and ends up bathing in the nude, but vulgarity is never on the agenda. Pierre and Avril meet and mix with gays, but nothing "dirty" is ever shown.

This is a very good-natured charming film about a nun who escapes from her convent to spend a weekend by the sea with her long-lost brother, his boyfriend, and a handsome man she meets along the way. One of the themes is of a young nun awakening to secular life, which could have meant some smutty details, but this never happens. There are surprises throughout the story and we never know in advance where the skilfully devised plot is going. The characters are three-dimensional, and the beautiful Normandy locations serve as a perfect backdrop to the sweet narrative. Dialogue is natural, unrushed, unpretentious, and the lead character grows before you over a 2 week period in a completely believable way. The DVD includes a "making-of", plus two short films, including one that is not on the French DVD. Gérald Hustache-Mathieu wrote the screenplay and directed. In French with English subtitles.