Two Tickets To Greece ( Les Cyclades)

Combine Shirley Valentine and a non-musical Mamma Mia, but make it French. And you have Two Tickets To Greece. Only you don’t because this is also a consideration of what it means to be a mature woman, of female friendship, of older female bodies and desires, hopes and dreams.

I loved the opening scene with the younger versions of the characters — and wanted to see more of them! Blandine (Leelou Laridan) is baby sitting. Gate crashed by her lively friend Magalie (Marie Mallia), they raid the family drinks cabinet to create cocktails, use the sound system to play the Gypsy Kings and enjoy the moment. Until they’re busted by the returning family.

Many years later, the besties are no longer on speaking terms, due to a boy. Blandine (Olivia Côte) is boring and serious, avoiding everything and making a lot of fuss. Her son Benjamin (Alexandre Desrousseaux), channeling Timothée Chalamet, is determined to get his mum living again, post-divorce, and reunites her with her best friend over Indian food. He also gets Magalie (Laure Calamy) to replace him on a summer holiday with his mum — and they go on the boat version of a road trip to their dream Greek island of Amorgos.

Only they don’t get there smoothly and have a series of adventures, spats and reconciliations along the way. They also meet Bijou (Kristin Scott Thomas) — as you’ve never seen her before! Blandine holds back, Magalie sees everything and everyone as an opportunity, relishing fun, music, the good things of life and meeting people.

Whilst this movie might be a visual feast for the eyes with bluer than blue seas, hot surfer dudes and dazzling white rocky churches, its also about deeper things. Kristin Scott Thomas’s hippy Bijou is hiding a painful secret and behaves hurtfully and selfishly as she avoids dealing with it. Blandine is able to help Bijou — and truly achieves her new name of Divine.

In clashing with joyous and life/disco embracing Magalie, Blandine learns something about her friend which she never saw before. And it’s life changing for both of them. The clashes are about how women judge each other, but also about how women understand, embrace and care for each other. But it’s done with a lot of fun and beautiful scenery, and wonderful characterisations of the younger versions of the two protagonists.