When you make a film set largely in a strip club then you are, for better or worse, inviting comparison to a film so notorious that I don't even need to write the title here, especially for those reading this who Nomi so well already. This is a French film though, and the French can do much better with this kind of material. At least, that's what you would hope.
Louise Chevillote plays a young woman, Manon, who decides to try working at a strip club to make some decent money. She soon starts to enjoy herself, thrilled by the creativity and ability to control and manipulate the punters, helped by a colleague (Mia, played by Zita Hanrot) she starts to develop a strong connection with. Problems start to arise when it becomes clear that Mia already has a partner (played by Thimotée Robart), and when Manon starts to succumb to the seductive allure of higher earning potential from work outside the club.
Directed by Lucie Borleteau, who also worked on the story and screenplay with Clara Bourreau and Laure Giappiconi, this is a great mix of melodrama and eroticism. The lifestyle is shown in a surprisingly positive way, but it’s not completely safe and cosy. There are threats scattered around everywhere, from within and without the central group, but the way that the women deal with those threats allows viewers to see how they work together, maintain control, and grow closer as they metaphorically “circle the wagons” to ensure their safety.
Despite the obstacles and pitfalls placed in the script, the film generally feels like a positive one, in terms of both the sex work and the various ways in which the characters are motivated (some others frown while our lead keeps striving to earn more and more money, but she also does her best to help out someone she might not have any future with).
Chevillote and Hanrot are great in the lead roles, equally adept at handling the drama and the front and centre sexuality of their characters. They are always very believable, and the script allows them to be flawed without making them awful people, although I am sure some would argue that point. Robart also does well, but he’s saddled with a less interesting part to play. Everyone else works well. A handful of actresses portray other dancers in the club, each with their own style and/or problems, Pedro Casablanc runs the club with a steady and careful approach, and Sipan Mouradian is able to fall in love with our leading lady without seeming like a clueless schmuck.
A hugely satisfying experience from start to finish, My Sole Desire weaves a lot of artistry throughout what could have easily just been a sweaty and stain-covered mess of tired tropes and exploitation. Kudos to Borleteau, and all of her collaborators, for producing something far removed from that. This is, in fact, quite brilliant, and it’s just as equally about love and friendship as it is about sex and dancing.
9/10
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