Une Liaison Pornographique review

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Don't get too excited - that's a misleading title for this discreet and tender love story. A man (Lopez) and a woman (Baye) separately recount to an unseen interviewer the nature of their unusual affair.

Having responded to a personal ad, these two strangers meet in a Parisian cafe and then retire to a hotel room, where they indulge in an undisclosed sexual fantasy. Refusing to exchange personal information, they repeat this routine on a weekly basis. Gradually, an emotional connection is forged, which is magnified when they make love "normally".

A crisply-written two-hander, Une Liaison Pornographique demonstrates the subjective memories of its characters towards events, while retaining a sense of mystery around their encounters. Carefully directed by Belgian Frederic Fonteyne, this low-key film achieves a measure of poignancy, not least through the subtle performances of Lopez and Baye.

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