Opening to the sounds of DIY and cooking, Why Not! has all the sounds and sights of a heteronormative romantic film. Domesticity, jealousy, and past relationships all make things messy for the relationship at the centre of Coline Serreau’s dramedy, it’s just that the relationship in question is far from conventional.

The film tells the story of two bisexual men living in an old country house with a woman. The three are in a polyamorous relationship, referred to as a “menage” in the story, and wrestle with their various roles in the house. Strait-laced Fernand (Sami Frey) complains about being taken for granted as he maintains the house, while the more reckless Alexa (Christine Murillo) and Louis (Mario Gonzales) bring in money from their jobs. Despite bickering, their domestic arrangement makes them happy, but old loves and new acquaintances threaten to break that peace.

What’s interesting about Serreau’s vision, especially for the time, is that sexuality is never really addressed. The fact that Fernand and Louis are bisexual is normalised to an extent that would be progressive even for today’s cinema, while the everyday nature of the trio’s life together is in direct contrast with outsiders’ disdain for their lifestyle.

Instead of sensationalism, the filmmaker presents this bond as the same as any other. The characters being in a three-way relationship doesn’t preclude them from romantic fulfilment, but neither is it the antidote to the downsides of traditional monogamy. Serreau argues that people are flawed and make mistakes in their relationships, no matter how many partners they have. It’s an intriguing and mature approach to the subject, even if some casual misogyny within the plot feels dated (Alexa is treated violently by both Fernand and her ex-husband).

The film glides easily between drama and comedy, never letting the story sway too much in either direction. Some of the lighter moments come from Fernand begging for an ounce of responsibility from his partners, who stare at the floor like scolded teenagers. There’s also Michel Aumont’s delightfully deadpan inspector, who visits the house asking about a nearby road incident, only to have his worldview changed by what he sees.

When things get serious, all three leads reveal deep pain emerging from their backgrounds. Louis’ estrangement from his parents, Alexa’s bitter separation from her ex, and Fernand’s desperate hopes to see his children again all underline the price paid for non-conformity. Given the tone can shift regularly from light to dark (the third act is almost a farce), Serreau never risks losing the audience.

A bold and thoughtful movie even decades nearly half a century after its release, Why Not focuses on the people beneath the labels, offering something far richer than most Queer-themed cinema can manage.

Watch Why Not! as part of ArteKino Classics 2025 – just click here for more information.