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April 15, 2015
Review: Felix and Meira

felix_et_meira_felix_and_meira_stillIt is difficult for romance films to steer clear of genre archetypes yet Felix and Meira is a fresh portrayal of love and romance. Several languages and multiple locations do not deter the feeling of connection you will have with the main characters. We are not lost in the diverse cultures and landscapes because of the films strong empathetic nature it has towards its two leads.

Felix (Martin Dubreuil) and Meira (Hadas Yaron) are both trying to make sense of recent family tragedies, and when they meet they use their unlikely romance as a way to forget rather than to cope with them. Felix has always been the outcast of his family, recent events force him to accept there is no repairing that. On the other hand Meira is having a crisis of faith, as her husband Shulem (Luzer Twersky) has an oppressive and sometimes hurtful approach to her grieving.

Although the film has two main characters the emotional pull centers on Meira. Felix is still as vital to the story and there is a larger audience who can empathize with him. However Meira’s journey in the film seems more poignant, unique and interesting. We are seeing an unspoken situation develop in her, a transformation from her Jewish lifestyle to something as different as day and night.

There is a subtle intelligence to Maxime Giroux's directing of the film; we are not invading the world of Meira just gently observing her transformation, similar to how we watch Felix gently guide her. Giroux’s undertones deepen the film’s rich and provoking story, from the significance of something as seemingly innocent as mouse traps, to the way each character is shot, the film is ripe with directorial nuances.

However there is one bizarre section of the film that does a lot of damage to its overall tone and pace as we see Felix disguise himself as a member of the Jewish community where Meira lives in an attempt to communicate with her. It’s only a few scenes yet it feels totally pointless. Little comes of it and it spoils the realism and intensity the film has built up to that point. It isn’t short of bewildering and could have easily been a deleted scene without damaging the film in any way. Overall Felix and Meira is a beautiful story filled with "people" rather than just "characters".

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Written by: Peter-Shaun Tyrell
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