François and his girlfriend move to a small town, where he finds a job as a film critic at the local paper, writing reviews he secretly copies from a highbrow art magazine. When he meets celebrated critic Rosa, he falls for her charms and an erotic game of merciless manipulation begins between them.

The cerebral business of film criticism gets a sexy makeover in Lionel Baier’s psychological satire. While the black-and-white cinematography adds a dangerous edge of noir, the act of writing is treated like an erotic game, full of seductive deception and bookended with a glorious Bulle Ogier cameo.