Late August, Early September

Following the fashion for soap operatic ensemble pieces, with an Eric Rohmer young-people-falling-in-and-out-of-love touch, Olivier Assayas' new film confirms that sex is no substitute to love, friends are an antidote to feeling miserable, living with someone is trench warfare and the titles of French movies these days don't help.

Gabriel has split up with Jenny (sort of) and is getting it on with Anne (not quite). Adrien has split up with the lady who looks like Isabella Rossellini on a bad day and is having a fling with 16-year-old Vera. Gabriel works in TV and then in magazines and then not at all. He smokes a lot. Adrien has written four novels that didn't sell, is sick with a maybe-terminal-something-or-other and refuses to face up to things. Jenny still sees Gabriel. Anne sees other guys. The Rossellini lookasad sees Adrien. No-one is going to be happy.

The performances are from the Be-Yourself-School-of-Non-Acting. Whether you give a damn depends on how much you relate to these people, although there is a certain charm in never making the right decision and still be kissing the wrong girl at the end.