Review: Ma Belle, My Beauty

Ma Belle, My Beauty is an indie from writer and director Marion Hill. It’s a rare kind of relationship drama set in the photogenic French countryside. You can rent it on Prime Video.

Ma Belle, My Beauty begins with Bertie (Idella Johnson) and Fred (Lucien Guignard) rehearsing a song. Bertie doesn’t like the song and doesn’t want to sing it. In fact, Bertie hasn’t felt like singing for at least six months. This is a real problem for Fred and his band because they are about to go on tour and Bertie is their vocalist.

Up the road strolls Lane (Hannah Pepper-Cunningham). Fred called her because of his problems with Bertie.

The three of them were in a successful polyamorous relationship in New Orleans. Lane disappeared (we never learn why). Fred and Bertie moved to France and got married.

Bertie is not happy to see Lane arrive. She’s cold to Lane, their conversations are awkward. Slowly the two begin to mend in uneven ways.

They meet a gorgeous Israeli woman at a party, Noa (Sivan Noam Shimon). By that night, Lane is bringing Noa home to have noisy sex in the bedroom next to Bertie and Fred. Later she admits that she thought it would bring Bertie into the room as it would have in the past. Now it’s simply an affront.

Fred is rooting for Lane to make Bertie happy again. Spoiler alert: Bertie and Lane do get together. Bertie does begin to sing again. But the film does not have a happy ending with the three of them riding off into the sunset together.

Ma Belle, My Beauty is remarkable because of the open and honest way it deals with the relationship between the three main characters. The dialog was well done. The setting was beautiful. The music was wonderful. The actors were excellent. If the topic is of interest to you, it’s worth seeing.