Claire (Juliette Binoche), a single mother in her fifties and a successful college professor, decides to create a fake Facebook account (name: Clara, age: 24 years old) to track down Ludo, her younger lover who just left her. However Claire/Clara catches the interest of Ludo’s friend, Alex, a young photographer. After Claire comments on some of Alex’s pictures, an unexpected online relationship starts between them.
This online relationship keeps intensifying to the point where both Claire and Alex are obsessed with one another and can barely spend time away from texting and talking on the phone. Alex finally decides to surprise Claire by coming to visit her. Although Claire goes to the meeting point, she doesn’t identify herself. Alex, looking for a younger woman, doesn’t even see her.
Alex, disappointed, starts to be a little suspicious, but Claire invents a story as an excuse. Alex then decides to give a final rendezvous to Claire, as one last chance for their relationship. Again, Claire goes to the meeting but stays anonymous. Alex disappears from Facebook, and Claire is left miserable.
All this is recounted as Claire looks back on events while receiving counselling from a female counsellor. The relationship with the counsellor is worth watching on its own. Their sessions end up really being a discussion about women and aging.
Obviously Claire’s double-life is not without consequences. The film has a few surprises at the end that I won’t spoil for you.
Definitely a film to watch. French language with English subtitles.
