I'm not French (spoilers)

Films like Happy Few remind me that I'm English and not French. I watched this glossy film peopled by nonchalant good looking people who spoke, mostly, in riddles about relationships.

Rachel, a jeweller, is married to Franck, an osteopath/alternative practitioner and they have a daughter called Margot. Through her business Rachel meets Vincent, a web designer, who has created the internet site for Rachel's business. It's apparent that Vincent finds Rachel attractive.

Vincent is married to Teri, whose occupation is not established as clearly as the others but she used to be a gymnast and competed in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. They have two children, Thelma and Tim, and a cat.

A menage a quartre ensues amongst the four that begins easily enough but deteriorates as each one of them encounters something they don't like, or are jealous of, and realises the blurred boundaries of their liaisons. In their complicated sexual pairings they lack the rules established within their respective marriages. A lack of rules ushers in a freedom that soon becomes a constraint when they want to say no to something.

Towards the end of the film it is revealed that Rachel and Vincent had a one-night stand before the two couples got together. This revelation occurs amidst the conversation in which Rachel announces their friendships/partnerings are over.

In conclusion we see Rachel and Teri experience grief at the loss of the liaison/friendship but also that each couple appears to have returned to their routine. It is debatable if either marriage survives the impact of the affairs. They seem to realise their preoccupation was with what their spouse's sexual antics with the other husband/wife and that they sought in the other's spouse what they felt lacking in theirs. One scene that stayed in my mind was their goodbyes to their children, who they leave in the care of a baby sitter when the 4 of them go for a weekend at the country residence of Rachel's family. The children looked utterly miserable. Perhaps an expression for the couples -?

The key note seemed to be that even when happy a person wants a diversion and when it's all spent, you come back home like the prodigal child. I'm not convinced by the neatness of the ending and wasn't entirely satisfied with how the affairs were explored. But then again, I'm not French ...

Keep silent unless what you are going to say is more important than silence.