The New Girlfriend

Ruth Rendell provides the source novel for this delicious tale of deception and identity, from the master of mischievous melodrama, François Ozon.

François Ozon’s devilish drama marries the twists and psychological suspense of its Ruth Rendell source novel with its director’s taste for mischievous melodramatics.

On her best friend Laura’s death-bed, Claire (Anäis Demoustier) promises to look after Laura’s husband David (Romain Duras) and their new baby. But the pact takes on a surprising twist when Clare discovers a shocking secret about David. Director François Ozon, who continues to grow with every film, manages to have his delicious cake and eat it, presenting a drama that marries Hitchcockian suspense with camp psychosexual comedy in a style reminiscent of Pedro Almodóvar, all spiced up with an exploration of the slippery nature of sexual identity.