Highly Overrated But Still Good

Not sure how, but this is easily one of the best movies all summer. Multiple levels of funny, never takes itself seriously, super colorful, and creative.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

I've watched this only now because the poster and publicity back in 2001 didn't seem promising - decided to give it a try because of Julie Gayet, who is likely to become the next First Lady of France.What pleasantly surprised me though is that it avoids wallowing in negative stereotypes of bisexuals, while at the same time not presenting its anti-hero as a likable guy. If there's one thing that I (as a queer person) find irritating about gay men is that they are rather demanding when it comes to respecting their identity, but unwilling to grant that respect to sexual orientations other than their own, with a particularly negative bias towards bisexuality. 'Confusion of Genders' toys with this quite admirably: the main character - through his bisexuality and brusque openness about it - constantly challenges the people around him into both attraction and repulsion.His shifting affections and emotions are easily forgiven by his partners because he's open about them; being able to express his feelings clearly seems to make him irresistible - even though he is far from attractive and (too) often just telling his lovers to buzz off. But they seem to prefer even the most complex relationships over loneliness and lies - that's where the strange dry humor of this piece comes from. Needless to say, this will infuriate those who come to this with the expectation of a bit of silly antics and skin, which explains its low rating. Be warned that this is by no means an easy film to watch, even though it is good for quite a few laughs.'Confusion of Genders' is both a (sometimes overbearingly) intellectual farce and a step away from the usual gay/gender-bender clichés. If you're bi and frustrated about being vilified in (not just) gay-themed fiction, this one is for you. If you're anything else, open-minded and tired of being fed the same old sexuality-based stereotypes over and over again, you might like this as well.

While it is definitely true that there are characters that do not experience a 180 degree change by the end of the film, the characters don't stay the same, either. And since that isn't the plot point that the movie hinges on, it doesn't feel like it matters in the end. The majority of the characters come across as very real people, three-dimensional, and not movie-clichés.The actors are wonderful; there is no hesitation in any of the performances (even in the most revealing scenes). I bought the American DVD, which included a commentary with the director, and actors Pascal Greggory and Cyrille Thouvenin, and was especially delighted to find that they had done the commentary in English.

"Confusion of Genders" is all about Alain, a wishy-washy lawyer and mostly gay bisexual who has a male lover, a female fiancé, and another female who is lusting after him for reasons unknown. Although the film is well crafted with believable performances and solid production value, the story is a depressingly misanthropic satire in which no one has a good word to say to anyone during the entire run leaving us, the audience, detached and with no one to care about. The result is a less than satisfying watch with a bad after taste, when combined with lots of inconsequential dialogue and, hence, subtitle reading will make for a less than desirable watch for most. Only for French film fanatics who don't mind lots of graphic gay sex. (B-)

In the DVD commentary, Pascal Greggory and the director state that this is not a comedy about bisexuality, it is a comedy about sexuality and choices. This is so true. Alain faces the choices we all face. Does he choose the person who is more like a partner than a romance? Does he choose the younger, eager lover who offers little more than sex? Does he choose to pursue the yet-to-be-obtained intriguing person he has recently met? A few other peripheral choices also hover nearby. But even more basic questions are asked: Does he have to choose? Can he choose more than one option? Will any choice make him completely happy if it cancels out all the others? This film made me reflect on these questions and choices in my own life, which is exactly what a good film should do. I think anyone who is over 30 and unmarried should be able to relate to Alain, at least on this level. A few reviewers have asked why so many characters are attracted to the narcissistic, emotionally remote Alain, but in my experience, it is often just this type of person who has many people attracted to him. For some, he is a challenge. For others, he is safely unattainable. For yet others, he is someone who will hurt them (which they expect), or who won't be hurt too much if they leave him. Alain mirrors the other characters' loneliness back to them, and one wonders if any of them would be happy if they ended up being Alain's choice – and if he could ever stick with that choice. If you're happily content in a stable, long-lasting relationship, then you will see this film as a comedy about things that happen to other people. But if your heart still has the capacity to lead you in directions you don't expect, this film will have greater meaning for you.