“Montreal, My Beautiful” (“Montréal, ma belle”)
(Canada)
Screened at the 44th Reeling Chicago International LGBTQ+ Film Festival (5/5)
Letterboxd (4.5/5), Imdb.com (9/10), TMDB.com (9/10), Imdb.com critics review
#BrentMarchant #ReelingFilmFestival #LGBTQ #MontrealMyBeautiful #Montreal #Quebec #China #immigrant #badmarriage #lesbianlovestory #rebirth #repatriation #XiaodanHe #JoanChen #roadconstructionengineer #samesexdatingapp #culturaltaboo #sexualorientation #conveniencestore #careerdissatisfaction #deepdarksecret #onagainoffagainromance #liberation
Being trapped in a bad marriage or relationship is one of the worst scenarios that anyone can endure, no matter what one’s sexual orientation might be. Just ask Feng Xia (a.k.a. Ping) (Joan Chen), a middle-aged immigrant from China who resettled with her overbearing, inconsiderate husband, Wang Jun (John Xu), in Montreal 14 years earlier. As a prototypical subservient housewife, she tends to the household, cares for their two children and helps run her husband’s convenience store. She also struggles to cope with Wang Jun’s career dissatisfaction, having once served as a road construction engineer back in the homeland, a level of prestige that he misses in Quebec and has prompted him to seriously consider repatriation. Needless to say, through it all, Feng Xia is decidedly unhappy, despite her best efforts to conceal her feelings. But, on top of all that, she also carries around a deep dark secret – her attraction to women, a stigma she hasn’t dared previously reveal. Thanks to several unexpected synchronicities, though, she decides to at last clandestinely act on those long-hidden impulses, seeking new companionship on a same-sex dating app for women, where she meets Camille (a.k.a. Lisa) (Charlotte Aubin), with whom she enters into an on-again/off-again romance, one that provides a tremendous sense of liberation and fulfillment, both emotionally and physically. But can their relationship survive all of the protagonist’s stresses, expectations and cultural taboos, not to mention a few family challenges dogging the emotional well-being of her partner? Those are the issues impacting the couple in this deeply moving, profoundly affecting lesbian love story, handily one of the best such offerings in this genre and in the filmdom of LGBTQ+ cinema overall that I have ever seen. Much of the credit for this belongs to writer-director Xiaodan He, whose third feature effort is truly impressive on many fronts. And much of the credit for that goes to the portrayals of the picture’s two leads, especially the outstanding, award-worthy performance of Joan Chen, who’s definitely at the top of her game here. The film also does a highly commendable job of its depiction of Montreal, a gorgeous city that never seems to get enough exposure, particularly to the degree captured in this release. Admittedly, the picture begins running out of steam somewhat in the final act, but that’s more than made up for by what precedes it. Prospective viewers should also take note that this release is rather sexually explicit at times, so those sensitive to such content should take heed. Nevertheless, “Montreal, My Beautiful” is quite an accomplishment in this cinematic milieu, one well worth a watch for anyone who can relate to the dynamics of a troubled relationship, as well as the triumphant rebirth that can come out of it.