[Trilogy: Two] Un couple épatant

This isn't a sequel to Trilogy: One, but a parallel film, set in the same town, Grenoble, in the alternate universe we call 'comedy'. Moreover, Belvaux insists it can be seen on its own terms, independently of the other films. The trouble with this formulation is that as a stand alone film, it's both rather strange and a little disappointing. Strange, because the plot swerves off in pursuit of what would seem an inexplicable tangent (who is that man living out in Cécile and Alain's weekend cabin, and what does he have on Cécile's friend Agnès?); disappointing, because the film is never as funny as it might be, nor as logical as you'd hope. It begins, slowly, with lawyer Alain (Morel) showing up late for his surprise birthday party. His wife (Muti) is disturbed by his strange behaviour. Could he be having an affair? She asks Agnès if her husband Pascal (Melki), a police inspector, would keep an eye on him. But when Alain sees Pascal and Cécile together, he forgets all about his imminent operation. Evidently, his wife must be cheating on him. It makes no sense to pretend this is a discrete film. It's the grand design that's so compelling, the prismatic effects of genre, the correspondences, connections and coincidences the triptych throws up.