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Cliente
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Cliente

Movie · 2008 · 3 people

French actress and filmmaker Josiane Balasko wrote and directed Cliente, known in English as A French Gigolo, a comedy-drama from 2008. Gaumont stands behind the production. In Türkiye it reached audiences as Müşteri on July 2, 2010, and it runs about 104 minutes. The story weaves together loneliness, paid companionship and the fragility of a marriage.

At its heart is Judith, an attractive, level-headed woman in her fifties who put her career ahead of love; she is played by Nathalie Baye. Living alone, she pays for the company of men she meets on internet sites. One is Patrick, a shy and warm young man whose real name is Marco, played by Éric Caravaca. He does the job to pay off the debt on the hairdressing salon of his wife Fanny, played by Isabelle Carré, who believes he works for a construction firm. Balasko herself plays Judith's older sister Irene, and Maria Schneider is also in the cast. In time a bond grows between Judith and Marco that goes beyond the client relationship, and events turn into an odd love triangle.

Balasko wrote and directed, and Cyril Colbeau-Justin and Jean-Baptiste Dupont are among the producers. The Turkish site Beyazperde's own review gave it 2.5 and called it passable; members averaged 2.1.

DirectorJosiane Balasko
Production companyGaumont Yapımevi

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Cast

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Maria Schneider Maria Schneider Film actor · died at 58 Marilou Berry Marilou Berry Actor · 43 years old Nathalie Baye Nathalie Baye Actor · died at 77

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Through different eyes

Cinephile Looks at script, editing and directing choices; keeps a distance from formula films.

Josiane Balasko writes, directs and also steps in front of the camera as Judith's older sister Irene, and that triple role sets the film's tone. The story tries to fit heavy themes, loneliness, paid intimacy and the fragility of marriage, into a comedy mould, and the balance doesn't always hold. Nathalie Baye carries Judith, a woman who put her career before love, with measured, believable grace, and Éric Caravaca's shy Marco is a good match for her. The real problem is structural: as the story drifts into a love triangle, its early, finer observations give way to a more familiar plot. It's easy to see why Beyazperde's critic found it merely passable. Worth it for the performances, but don't expect bold filmmaking.

Family Viewer Asks whether the whole household can watch it; cares about humour and heart.

Not one to watch with children. It's about a lonely woman who pays for the company of men, and a married young man who hides this work from his wife because of a debt. It's billed as a comedy, but the subject is strictly for adults, and not for teenagers either. Watch it with your partner if you want something to think about on loneliness and honesty in marriage.

History & Society Lens Asks about the period, the social background and what the work reflects.

Cliente portrays a world where money and feeling meet in the same relationship. A woman in her fifties who put her career first and lives alone, buying companionship through internet sites, makes for a thought-provoking picture of loneliness in modern city life. On the other side, Marco doing the work to pay off his wife's salon debt shows how financial pressure can push a marriage into secrecy. It is also interesting for centring a relationship that reverses the usual gender roles. The film could have gone deeper, but it does get you questioning the links between class, age and loneliness.

These are not reader reviews: they are short editorial takes written from different viewer perspectives with AI assistance. Reader reviews are below.

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