DuFresne plays Ludovic, a seven-year-old boy who wants to be a girl. His parents humor him at first, but soon it becomes apparent that this isn't just a phase, and his behavior starts having dire consequences for the family's social life. His nonconformity is set off by the mind-numbing conformity of the suburb where his family lives, which is distressingly close to the stereotypical American suburb, right down to the minivans, Tupperware parties, and Barbie & Ken dolls (though here they're called Pam & Ben -- Ludovic idolizes Pam, and let me just say that he ought to find a better female role model than a doll who dresses like a cheap Vegas hooker). It's just this side of the suburb in Edward Scissorhands. I could posit all sorts of theories here, like, as Ludovic wants to be a girl, so Belgium wants to be the U.S.... but it's the weekend and I don't have to think deep thoughts like that.
The ending is a little too facile, like something off of that 70s hippie lovefest "Free to Be You and Me" (don't write me angry emails -- I loved that album too, when I was six, but you have to admit it's a little goofy sometimes), but overall it's a very sweet piece of social commentary. Well worth seeing.
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