Speaking of modernity ,the starting point of the movie takes us back to the old melodramas of the nineteenth century ;some French may remember "Les Deux Orphelines " by Adolphe D'Ennery (aka "Orphans of the storm" ).Of course the treatment is different since the two fraternal twins (they can't be identical can they?) meet in the first quarter .Such a story is hardly believable,as an user has already pointed out:how can a girl ,who was "carefully" taught,educated in a nunnery ,surrounded by holy women, adapt herself so easily to the "modern" world she discovers?I'm sure she was never told gays existed .Was she even told that she could marry instead of becoming a nun?That her brother can sleep with another man doesn't shock her at all : people are going to say it is the natural tolerance of the clueless girl;perhaps so.Clement Sibony (who was a good Daniel in "Les Thibault" miniseries ) gives a down-to-earth portrayal,which is quite fine,cause I feared that the scenes on the beach could lead the movie into Neo Nouvelle Vague territory Eric Rohmer style,but the quartet is nice and has something of the odd pairings of John Huston (as a "Heaven knows mister Allison " for twenty-somethings).
A question:WHEN does it takes place? The young man in love with Avril says he loves late fifties/early sixties music -Orbison,Presley,Holly- and he plays an Annette Funicello -who ,however,was rather unknown in France - song in his car.Later we see the boys teach Avril Christophe's big hit "Aline" (1965,but which was re-issued in the eighties with success );and twin brother uses a slot-in record player ,which is typically early eighties.Even for a French ,it's difficult to pinpoint the era.
Miou-Miou cast as a nun is something rather curious and is worth the price of admission.But Genevieve Casile 's part of the mother superior is too underwritten to be credible "She wanted you to be a saint" is not enough to explain her behavior.
