By Joanna Orland
Two Women is a light comedy about two mothers who are unhappy in their stagnant marriages. Violette (Laurence Leboeuf) is a new mother whose husband is having an extramarital affair. Florence (Karine Gonthier-Hyndman) has an older son and a depressed husband, and takes it upon herself to open up their marriage. When Violette and Florence meet, the two women form a unique bond that allows them to find happiness outside of their marriages.
‘Two Women’ Showcases Its Characters Best Through Parallel Storylines
Violette and Florence have similar stories of feeling trapped and overlooked in an unhappy marriage, but from very different perspectives. Florence has been married and a mother for longer than Violette, has tried taking antidepressants, and relates far too closely to her son’s pet hamster who lives trapped in a cage while poetically bearing the name “Florence”. As she stops her antidepressants, her husband David (Mani Soleymanlou) starts taking them because in his words, one of them has to. The more Florence sleeps with other men, the more David dips into his bottle of pills as they both shy away from the real issues in their marriage.
Meanwhile, Violette is a new mother whose husband is straying behind her back with another woman. While Florence is open and embracing sleeping with other men, Violette is more timid and hesitant at first. Her friendship with Florence gradually gives her the confidence to explore her sexuality more freely as she finds comfort in other men. Rather than run away from her marriage like Florence is doing, she is actually able to take stock of the issues between her and her husband Benoit (Félix Moati). These stories may run parallel, but they differ in key ways bespoke to each character.
The Tone of ‘Two Women’ Is a Bit Twee for the Subject Matter
The humour in Two Women is rather mild and lowkey compared to what it’s trying to be. Jokes don’t necessarily fall flat, they just lack any real punch or purpose. The music saturation is a key issue in how it makes the film feel more twee than it is otherwise. The score gives the film a simplistic tone, whereas the characters and stories are far more complex than that.
As a comedy, Two Women never garners more than an odd chuckle, as Violette and Florence thrive more in their character development. Their journeys hit harder in how they unfold, and the characters are anchored by wonderful performances from Laurence Leboeuf and Karine Gonthier-Hyndman. The two leads give empathetic and passionate portrayals, even when the tone of the film almost holds them back.
The stellar lead performances may not be a happy marriage with Two Women’s slight tone and humour, but the film has an underlying poignancy at its core. Taking on the mundane aspects of motherhood and marriage, it has something to say about how women can often be overlooked in their own lives, even by themselves.
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Two Women
Directed by Chloé Robichaud
Starring Laurence Leboeuf, Karine Gonthier-Hyndman, Sophie Nélisse, Juliette Gariépy, Mani Soleymanlou, and Félix Moati
In cinemas April 24th, 2026
