Paul and Michelle

"Paul and Michelle" begins three years after the title characters ended the story of "Friends." Although it is not as good as the original, the film comes together very well. In "Friends," a teen romantic classic, the British Paul and French Michelle ran away and lived together in a secluded romantic dream. In "Paul and Michelle," the couple must face the hardships and boredom of everyday life. They soon learn the responsibility of working for a living and bringing up the child they had in "Friends."

In the beginning, Michelle and daughter Sylvie, who was born in "Friends," are living with Gary, a young American businessman in a French coastal town. The three have an almost normal family life in which Sylvie has bonded with Gary.

Paul, now a college student, abandons academic life to search for Michelle. When he arrives in town, there is a very funny sequence when Paul keeps searching every street and shop for Michelle, and just keeps missing her every time. At last the two literally bump into each other on the street and embrace in a joyful reunion. The very gracious Gary, always knowing that Paul is the true love of Michelle's life, leaves to let Paul move into the apartment.

The main plot of the story is Paul and Michelle's brutal discovery that it is tough to make their romantic love work in the everyday world. Having been raised with wealth, Paul finds the life of a working man difficult as he takes a job as a meatcutter to support his family. Paul and Michelle work jobs in different shifts and take turns watching Sylvie. Their jobs tire them out and raising an active three-year old wears the romance very thin. Paul finds it very hard to bond with his long-lost daughter. Even though she calls him "Daddy," it is a long time until she loves him as much as she loved Gary. The director highlights these realities by inserting a number of flashbacks of "Friends" to contrast with their new life.

Paul misses his exciting student life. There is one anachronistic scene where Paul participates in a poor excuse for a 1960's style student riot that is broken up by the police. In a much more dramatic incident, Paul goes out to a bistro with a young woman friend, leaving Sylvie alone in the apartment. As you might guess, it isn't long before the active tyke gets out. When Michelle returns from work to find her daughter gone, and sees Paul outside with this woman, she nearly panics. Paul and Michelle have to chase all over town to rescue their daughter. Michelle is quite angry.

I can relate to this story more today than I did in 1974, now that I'm older, married with children, and have been working for a living for many years. "Paul and Michelle" is not the dreamy classic you saw in "Friends," but the movie will entertain you as it portrays the strains of growing up and trying to keep romance alive in the real world.