Watch The Hairdresser's Husband

The Hairdresser's Husband is a poetic, dreamlike film written and directed by Patrice Leconte. Released in 1990, the film has become a cult classic, resonating with audiences for its sensual imagery, melancholic tone, and bittersweet romance. The film centers around Antoine (Jean Rochefort), a middle-aged man who is obsessed with hairdressers. As a child, he would watch the women in his small town get their hair done and would become overwhelmed with desire for the hairdresser. Eventually, he becomes a successful traveling salesman and begins asking every hairdresser he meets to marry him, but to no avail. Until, that is, he meets Mathilde (Anna Galiena), a beautiful hairdresser who falls for Antoine's quirks and charms.

The two quickly marry and move into a small house in a sleepy French town, where Antoine sets out to make his dream of living with a hairdresser come true. Mathilde works in a local salon and Antoine spends his days sitting in the shop, watching her work, and recounting their love story to anyone who will listen.

The Hairdresser's Husband is a meditation on love, obsession, and the beauty of everyday life. The film is infused with a sense of nostalgia and longing, as Antoine clings to his past and his memories of watching hairdressers as a child. Leconte plays with time and space, creating a dreamlike atmosphere that gives the film a poetic quality.

What makes the film so captivating is the chemistry between Jean Rochefort and Anna Galiena. Rochefort embodies Antoine with a mix of eccentricity and vulnerability, while Galiena brings a sensual energy and joie de vivre to Mathilde. Their relationship is unconventional, but Leconte portrays it with honesty and humanity.

The supporting cast is also strong, particularly Roland Bertin as Monsieur Pignon, an elderly man who becomes Antoine's confidant and provides a comic relief to the film's emotional weight.

Music plays an important role in The Hairdresser's Husband, with composer Michael Nyman providing a haunting and beautiful score that complements the film's mood.

While The Hairdresser's Husband is not a fast-paced film, its languid pace allows the viewer to fully immerse themselves in Antoine and Mathilde's world. Leconte's direction is precise and delicate, making every shot and every movement count.

Overall, The Hairdresser's Husband is a cinematic gem that offers a poignant and unique perspective on love, memory, and the romance of everyday life. It's a film that deserves to be seen and appreciated by all lovers of cinema.

The Hairdresser's Husband is a 1992 comedy. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.1.