Two Women (2025) by Chloé Robichaud: A Modern Reimagining of Female Desire and Domestic Dissatisfaction
- dailyentertainment95
- Aug 1
- 6 min read
Short Summary: Reclaiming a Life Unlived Two neighbors, both mothers and professionals, feel a growing dissatisfaction with their seemingly perfect lives. Their quiet suburban rebellion begins when one woman’s unexpected affair sparks a journey of self-discovery and a reevaluation of their priorities, challenging the very ideals they have built their lives around.
Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31066723/
Link to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/ca/movie/two-women-2025 (Canada)
Detailed Summary: Unfulfillment in the Suburbs
The film centers on Violette, a new mother on maternity leave, and her neighbor Florence, a translator with a ten-year-old son. Both women are struggling with the quiet chaos of their domestic lives.
Violette feels isolated and suspects her husband, who travels frequently for work, of infidelity. Florence is battling depression and a lack of intimacy with her partner.
Bonding over their shared dissatisfaction, they begin a series of playful and rebellious sexual encounters with various service workers, like exterminators and plumbers, as a way to reclaim their sense of self and desire.
The film explores their individual journeys of sexual liberation and self-discovery, while also subtly examining the underlying issues in their marriages and the societal pressures they face.
Director's Vision: The Quiet Chaos of Modern Life
Robichaud's vision is a modern and empathetic reinterpretation of the 1970 Québécois sex comedy Two Women in Gold. She wanted to confront the original film's themes of sexual emancipation with modern values, exploring how our relationship with female autonomy, couple dynamics, and motherhood has evolved.
The film is visually composed to reflect the emotional distance between the characters. Robichaud and cinematographer Sara Mishara use architectural divides like windows and door frames to show people together, but not truly with one another. This visual language is meant to represent the feeling of isolation and being "trapped" from oneself, even within a community.
Robichaud chose to shoot on 35mm film to give the movie a nostalgic feel and a high cinematic quality, even with a dialogue-driven script. She also uses a lively and vibrant color palette that becomes more pronounced as the characters rediscover themselves.
The director aimed to create a film that is both funny and thought-provoking, resisting a moralistic tone. She wanted to provoke questions about connection, fulfillment, and the importance of listening to one's own truth.
Themes: Beyond Monogamy and Motherhood
Female Desire and Sexual Liberation: The film's core theme is the exploration of female sexuality not as a provocation, but as a journey of introspection and self-discovery. The women’s affairs are not about finding a new partner, but about reconnecting with a part of themselves they feel they have lost.
Dissatisfaction and Domestic Life: Two Women delves into the quiet dissatisfaction that can simmer beneath the surface of seemingly successful lives. It critiques the societal pressures and expectations placed on mothers and wives, highlighting the disconnect between the idealized image of a happy family and the reality of their emotional struggles.
Monogamy and Relationships: The film takes a non-judgmental look at the complexities of long-term relationships and monogamy. It questions whether the ideal of a perfectly stable and faithful marriage is attainable, or if it's an outdated concept that can leave people feeling constrained.
Mental Health and Motherhood: The movie touches on the struggles with mental health and the isolation that can come with motherhood. It acknowledges that women can "lose touch" with their bodies and themselves after having children, and the film is about the process of reconnecting with that lost part of their identity.
Key Success Factors: A Fresh, Empathetic Approach
Strong Performances: The film's success hinges on the performances of Karine Gonthier-Hyndman and Laurence Leboeuf, who bring humor, depth, and nuance to their roles, treating their characters with compassion and without judgment.
Witty and Empathetic Script: Catherine Léger's sharp and witty screenplay successfully modernizes the source material, blending comedy with a sensitive exploration of complex issues. The dialogue-driven nature of the film is a key element of its charm.
Modern Reinterpretation: By updating the 1970s cult classic, the film makes its themes of female desire and societal pressure relevant to a contemporary audience, implicitly addressing conversations born from movements like #MeToo.
Visual Storytelling: Chloé Robichaud's direction, particularly the use of visual metaphors and the warm aesthetic of the 35mm film, elevates the story beyond a simple comedy, adding layers of meaning and emotional depth.
Awards & Nominations: A Sundance Acclaim The film, which premiered at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, won the World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for writing.
Critics Reception: A Refreshing and Flawed Comedy
Next Best Picture: Found the film to be a "formidable interpretation" of the classic, praising its witty script and its subdued, comedic lens on sexual liberation. However, the review critiqued the lack of character interiority for the two protagonists, and the narrative's occasional prioritization of the male co-stars. Overall, the review gave it a 6/10.
Collider: Described the film as a "fun and sexy romp" that takes a "well-rounded and non-judgemental" look at infidelity, marriage, and motherhood. The review highlighted the film's empathetic approach and its charming absurdity, praising the performances and the sharp script.
The Moya View: Called the film a "bold and contemporary take on female desire and liberation," praising Robichaud's fresh perspective and the standout performances. The review noted some flaws, such as uneven pacing and underdeveloped subplots, but ultimately found these did not detract from the film's overall impact.
Overall Summary: The critical reception is largely positive, with critics appreciating the film's modern take on a classic story. They praised its witty script, strong performances, and empathetic handling of complex themes. However, some reviews noted a lack of depth in the main characters' backstories and some tonal inconsistencies.
Reviews: Witty, Thoughtful, and Occasionally Shallow
The GATE: This review described Two Women as a "slight, but fun little movie" that is an "effective crowd pleaser." It praised the well-drawn relationships and the performances, but felt the drama was largely on the surface and the film was too safe to leave a lasting impression.
Reviews on Reels: This review was more critical, giving the film a 1.5 out of 5 rating. It argued that the film "struggles to justify itself," offering little insight or growth. It found the film's handling of infidelity to be a "dishonest emotional shortcut" and criticized the repetitive narrative and predictable plot points in the final act.
Plex (via various snippets): A range of reviews from sites like The Contending and Fangirlish highlighted the film's "sexy and fun" nature, its "sly" blending of comedy and nuance, and its empathetic handling of female sexuality and struggles. Other reviews, like one from Variety, were less impressed, questioning the film's "feminist gaze" and the lack of "backbone" in the main characters.
Overall Summary: Reviews are mixed, with some praising the film as a charming, witty, and empathetic comedy, while others see it as a shallow and repetitive misfire that fails to deliver on its promise of meaningful social commentary. The film's tone, which balances between light-hearted comedy and serious themes, seems to be a point of contention for some reviewers.
Why to watch this movie: A Fun, Modern Female Comedy
A Fresh Perspective on a Classic: If you're a fan of remakes that successfully modernize and reinterpret classic stories, Two Women offers a contemporary take on a beloved Québécois film, making its themes relevant to a new generation.
Insightful Social Commentary: The film is an engaging and often funny look at serious topics like marriage, monogamy, motherhood, and mental health. It's a great choice for those who appreciate comedies with a sharp, social edge.
Excellent Performances: The leading actresses, Karine Gonthier-Hyndman and Laurence Leboeuf, deliver standout performances that are both comedic and deeply empathetic, making their characters' journeys compelling and relatable.
Movie Trend: The "New Wave" of Female-Centric Comedies The film is following the trend of female-centric comedies that use humor to explore complex and often difficult topics, such as a woman's midlife crisis, the challenges of motherhood, and the complexities of modern relationships. These films often subvert traditional romantic comedy tropes by focusing on a woman's internal journey of self-discovery rather than her quest for a perfect partner.
Social Trend: Reclaiming the Narrative of Female Empowerment The film taps into the social trend of women redefining traditional roles and expectations, particularly in the context of marriage and motherhood. It follows a growing conversation around female autonomy, sexual liberation, and mental health, portraying women who are no longer content to live a life prescribed by societal norms. The film's exploration of female desire and dissatisfaction directly reflects a broader social push for women to reclaim their own narratives and prioritize their personal fulfillment.
Final Verdict: An Imperfect but Intriguing Watch Two Women is a film that, despite some flaws in its execution and a few mixed reviews, offers a fresh and often charming perspective on a timeless theme. It’s a movie that doesn’t provide easy answers but encourages its audience to question the assumptions they hold about relationships and happiness. The strong performances and empathetic direction make it an engaging and thought-provoking watch, particularly for those looking for a comedy that is both funny and intellectually stimulating.
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