White MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +2 Content: -1 1/2

Karol (Zbigniew Zamachowski) is a Polish hairdresser living in Paris with his beautiful new wife Dominique (Julie Delpy). After six months, Dominique sues Karol for a divorce because they have not consummated the marriage. Karol, who knows little French, is thrown out penniless on the street. To make matters worse, Dominique burns down their beauty parlor and blames it on Karol, so the police are after him as well. While wandering around the Metro stations, Karol meets fellow Pole Mikolaj (Janusz Gajos) who agrees to smuggle Karol back to Warsaw in a big trunk. Once in Warsaw, Karol determines never again to feel inferior to Dominique. He becomes rich through black market connections. He then develops a scheme to get revenge on Dominque. Second in a trilogy of films named for colors in the French flag, WHITE's title stands for equality. Billed as an erotic comedy, this film with English subtitles might be enjoyed by those wishing to brush up on their Polish or French. Not much here otherwise.

WHITE's R rating comes from two noisy scenes of intercourse. There is no nudity shown in either, but distinctive sounds over the phone on one occasion and a scene with Karol and Dominique are both very vocal. Several sexual references in the dialogue and Dominique sensually grabbing Karol are in exceptionally poor taste. There are a few obscenities, mostly in Polish, which translate as the f- and s-words. Attacked by thugs, kicked and punched in the stomach and face, as well as choked, poor Karol becomes the object of the few incidents of violence. Even a pigeon leaves a “calling card” on his coat. Although there is an attempted suicide, the person has second thoughts and goes on to live a happier life. A theme of revenge rather than equality dominates WHITE, and results in dire consquences for this very unconventional couple. Mainly because of its sexual content, WHITE has just enough smut to make it gray.

Preview Reviewer: Greg Wilson
Distributor: Miramax Films, 18 E. 48th St., Ste. 1601, NY, NY 10017