FORT COMME UN HOMME/ /RUGBYSTAR

2007, 90 minutes, Colour.

Marc Ruchmann, Philippe Maymat, James Gerard, Florence d'Azema, Audrey Fleurot.

Directed by Stephane Giusti.

A familiar story done in French style, a particular interest in sport and rugby the popular theme of what it is like to be a man, a strong man.

The central character is a young man, Olivier, alienated from his mother, a local star rugby player, arriving in Paris, welcomed into a special team with lot strong ambitions. He finds his place, welcomed by some of the players, doing his rigorous training, sharing an apartment with a young Irish player.

The film focuses on the young man and his ambitions, his work, yet his being touchy, outbursts of anger, sympathetic members of the team and management trying to urge him to some kind of calmer approach, more mature.

The manager of the team invites a commercial photographer to make a calendar of the team players, he becomes the object of special attraction, sessions for photography, his approaching the photographer, beginning an affair with her – and some jealousy from a woman who follows the team socially.

Which means then that this is a story of someone with potential who does not realise he should be measuring up, indulges in the affair, socialising, some drugtaking (which will catch up with him when there are tests of the players). He also clashes with the Irish footballer discovering that he is gay and has a partner, but later apologising.

Then injury, on the benches, observing, then the testing of drugs and his being found guilty, suspended for six matches – but, after a visit with his mother who wants money from him, he decides to go to England, play with a small team, lying low – and, then, perhaps the future.