He may not be making films as often as he was before (in the last five years, he’s made one film and a television miniseries, a far cry from his more prolific period where we were getting a new project around once a year), but Xavier Dolan remains one of the most talented directors of his generation, an essential voice that broke barriers and established a fascinating kind of storytelling that he explored for over a decade. He received good reviews and a decent amount of attention for I Killed My Mother and Heartbeats, both of which received an abundance of attention because they were layered, atmospheric dramas that essentially proved that Dolan was already well-established as a filmmaker from quite a young age, but it was his third film that proved to be his breakthrough as a director, and the one that brought him enough attention to consolidating him into the steadily growing body of exciting auteurs emerging from this group that was slowly starting to make their voices heard in the industry. The film is a curious drama focused on the relationship between a writer and his girlfriend and how they navigate the challenges that arise when the former decides that he is going to transition to being a woman, finally being able to live as his most authentic self, but not realizing that there are many seemingly insurmountable obstacles standing in his way and preventing him from reaching the sense of euphoria that he has been searching for over the years. A moving, complex character study carefully handcrafted by a director whose attention to detail and willingness to have complex conversations has placed him at the forefront of an entire generation of young storytellers, Laurence Anyways is a staggering achievement, both in the story it tells and the methods it employs to explore certain themes that feel both obvious and groundbreaking. An essential film, and one that contains some truly exceptional observations on a number of fascinating ideas, Dolan accomplished something remarkable with this film, which is a daring and provocative work of incredible, socially aware artistry that seems to be increasingly rare to find in the contemporary cinematic landscape.

Dolan has always been a filmmaker who chooses to make the fundamental motivations behind his work clear from the outset, which is particularly notable considering how the specific impetus for a particular story is actually not as important as the circumstances that surround it, so it is far more logical to expend the energy exploring the additional themes and how they speak to the central premise, rather than keeping the audience in suspense as we wonder in which direction it is heading. The central conflict in Laurence Anyways is introduced only about ten minutes into the film, after a short but memorable prologue setting up the relationship between the two main characters. The director’s films have almost always circled around queerness in some form, and whether it is explicitly the subject of a story, or rather just an additional sub-topic that strengthens the narrative, he has been bold in how he explores these issues. This film is primarily about someone realizing that they can no longer hide their identity, and chooses to undergo the lengthy and challenging process of gender transition, something that is difficult from a medical and bureaucratic standpoint, but far more challenging when we take into account the social component. The majority of this film focuses on the titular character as she comes to terms with the fact that she is a trans woman, and while it would probably be less bothersome to her personal and professional life to remain in the closet, there comes a point where hiding is not an option any longer, and instead, the obstacles that stand in the way of living an authentic life seem worth it for the joy that comes on the other side of the journey. Identity is a fascinating subject and one that Dolan has used as the conceptual foundation of every one of his films. The difference here is that Laurence Anyways digs deeper than anything he had done previously, at least in terms of examining two individuals as they come to terms with a major set of changes, which become increasingly more complex and disconcerting as they begin to realize it is not as simple a journey as they expected – for every one step forward, Laurence and Fred take three backwards, both in terms of their own relationship (which becomes strained under the weight of their own personal challenges) and social perceptions and the relationships we form with those closest to us, which tend to be far more difficult to overcome than any other aspect of such a transition.

Queerness is a subject on which we continue to see exciting perspectives, Dolan’s efforts here being one of the many poignant explorations of queer identity produced in the past couple of decades. However, one of the ideas that the director is intent on demonstrating is that such a voyage of self-discovery does not occur in isolation, and rather it is one that requires many different perspectives in order to be fulfilling. Stories about people undergoing journeys where they set out to lean into their identity usually tend to focus on the individual rather than the communal aspect of these narratives, which does an immense disservice to the efforts of those who avail themselves to any wayward souls looking for guidance. Laurence Anyways is a film that may focus on the experiences of a trans woman as she begins her transition, but this is only the start – Dolan is far more interested in exploring the theme of human connection, which is why the film can be viewed as a two-hander between Laurence and Fred, two individuals who love each other deeply and who may weave in and out of each other’s lives, especially in the aftermath of what comes as quite a shock to everyone involved, but who still find their way back to one another, possessing an elusive quality that is impossible to neglect, even in their moments of extreme frustration. Dolan has always been focused on telling stories that are about the community in some way, even if it doesn’t offer a particularly positive or accepting view of the broader social strata in which his characters exist. He understands that an individual are only able to exist through how they are perceived and embraced by those around them, so in focusing on a pair of parallel journeys that centre around the subject of queerness and identity, he offers some remarkably heartfelt and thought-provoking observations on the human condition, a subject that has factored into a great number of his films. The film presents a complex and layered depiction of the journey that many have to undertake to truly embrace their identity, and how those who surround them – whether offering support or providing some opposition that is often necessary for an individual to grow into their authentic self – make an invaluable impact, whether positive or negative. These narrative strands come together beautifully, and Dolan manages to avoid crafting a film that is unwieldy or too dense by simply having a strong narrative foundation and allowing the rest to emerge organically.

Earlier in his career, Dolan usually cast his films according to people he knew, both personally and from within the Québécois film community, which usually allowed for his films to become vibrant tapestries of the Canadian entertainment industry, many of its luminaries and ambitious young talents taking on roles in his films. Laurence Anyways is the first film in which Dolan doesn’t play a role (although he has a brief appearance as an unnamed guest at a party during one of the most pivotal scenes in the film), and instead, he casts Melvil Poupaud, known for his work in France, as the titular character. A smart decision to cast an older actor, since the film earns layers of complexity by making the protagonist closer to middle age, complicating her understanding of gender and making the dynamic between the protagonists far more complex. Poupaud is extraordinary – it’s a beautiful performance, but one that is brimming with heart and soul, and a sense of quiet sadness that can only come from someone who implicitly understands the boundaries of identity. He’s remarkable in the film, and while a later version may have cast a transgender actor in the part to be more authentic and sensitive to the underlying themes, he still delivers a poignant and heartfelt performance. However, despite being the titular Laurence, Poupaud is not the main attraction, which comes in the form of Suzanne Clément, who had previously played a supporting role in I Killed My Mother but is placed front-and-centre here, portraying the conflicted Fred, a woman who believed she had her life in order and was preparing to take her career to new heights when she is blindsided by the news that her romantic partner of many years has decided to transition into being a woman. In a long career that has taken her across continents and allowed her to play countless fascinating roles, it is Laurence Anyways that contains perhaps her greatest work, or at least the performance that contains the most nuance and complexity. It’s not an easy role to play, especially since she is ultimately the main adversary that causes the rift to form between her and Laurence, but Clément sells every moment, and we leave the film truly enamoured with her heartfelt, meaningful performance that is the perfect complement to Poupaud’s more daring, offbeat portrayal, the two making an extraordinary pair that anchors this film.

Part of the reason Dolan is such a celebrated filmmaker is that he refuses to restrict himself to only one area, and has instead chosen to make his films as memorable as they can be, which involves not only a strong story and good performances, but a solid directorial approach that ties everything together and makes his work so impeccably-crafted and captivating. Heavily inspired by melodrama in different forms, with everyone from Douglas Sirk to Rainer Werner Fassbinder being influences at various points in his career, the director makes his references known throughout his work. He understands that as interesting as the narrative may be, there is also a need to make it artistically resonant, which is precisely the quality that makes Laurence Anyways such a layered, complex work. The visual component is exceptionally well-crafted, with the compositions by the director and cinematographer Yves Bélanger indicating a strong collaboration that brought out the very best elements of this story, quietly and methodically presenting a gorgeous and sumptuous portrayal of this world, embracing the sometimes bleak and austere surroundings and rendering them as unconventionally beautiful, which is not an easy feat in the slightest. There are several unforgettable moments scattered throughout the film, where everything from the colours to the framing is crafted down to the smallest detail – we recall the memorable scene early on when Laurence first reveals her gender identity to the students and faculty at her school through confidently strutting through a seemingly endless hallway, which is later mirrored in Fred’s own bold expression of her style at a part, both being filmed in a similar manner, one that is unconventional but still very intriguing. As we would expect, Dolan pays attention to musical cues, with the use of songs like “Fade to Grey” and “Enjoy the Silence” in pivotal moments, as well as a wealth of other songs from multiple different genres scattered throughout the film, making Laurence Anyways a fascinating work of musical curation, an under-discussed art that Dolan has proven to be a priority in nearly everyone one of his films. Each shot and musical cue serves an important thematic and narrative purpose and allows the film to grow into a far more nuanced, complex piece of filmmaking. 

Laurence Anyways is not an easy film to watch, or one that is necessarily accessible in the way that we would expect. It is far longer than we would expect, clocking in at just under three hours in length, and a lot of its ideas are somewhat controversial and leap between different tones in a manner that can be somewhat jarring. Yet, we still easily fall under the director’s spell, with Dolan weaving an extraordinary story of identity, queerness and family that has essentially defined his career as a filmmaker and guided many of his cinematic endeavours, most of which were made in dialogue with this film, or at least the underlying ideas that he explored earlier in his career and intends to continue examining in his own unique way. The film manages to be lush and melodramatic without coming across as artificial, and even the most dense and complex of emotions are presented in a way that is decidedly not hysterical, but rather carries a sense of intensity that makes absolute sense with the surrounding film. It is a film with a strong perspective on queer identity, and while we have made strides in the last decade that make some of the commentary embedded in this story somewhat dated, it is well-intentioned and genuine in its efforts to start a conversation, even with the knowledge that it may not be able to offer the satisfying resolution that we may anticipate from the material, and instead provides us with something far more engaging and intriguing. It’s a beautiful, poetic and earnest film with a strong sense of humour and a lot of genuine charm embedded within, which makes for a wonderfully eccentric, complex character study that is not always neat or orderly, but rather a bold, ambitious jumble of ideas that are carefully and methodically unpacked to create something utterly exquisite and deeply moving, looking at the theme of identity, community and humanity in a manner that is genuinely quite poignant. Not much else can be said about Laurence Anyways, which remains one of Dolan’s most celebrated and important works, and years later it still resounds with an intensity that feels purposeful and astonishing, proving the value of a story told by those passionate about both the material and the ideas evoked in the process.