Written by Linda
December 24, 2008
A fluffy modern romantic comedy with, um, some twists, Manhood and Other Modern Dilemmas is an inoffensive, if a bit drawn-out flick, good for passing a bit of time when you have absolutely nothing better to do.
Alexis (Bruno Putzulu) is a late-20-something Parisian who works off and on as an actor, usually paying the bills by "voicing" commercials for radio. He seems to have a hard time committing to a woman, until a mutual friend introduces him to Laura (Estelle Skornik). They're perfect for each other, but Laura hasn't been able to hold a boyfriend because occasionally she breathes fire (!). Since Alexis is a sci-fi addict, this doesn't faze him (which is actually kind of cute). They move in, Laura shapes him up and gets him a job, and Alexis' docility keeps her quirks somewhat in check. But when he crosses her... well, he unleashes a bit of a devil, so to speak.
Manhood hums along at an enjoyable pace, but unfortunately runs out of steam by the end, even for a film that barely clocks in at 90 minutes. The last third seems haphazard, with fantasy sequences, and loose ends... But there are a lot worse comedies you could sit through.
