Anyone familiar with the oeuvre of François Ozon will be aware with his penchant for the serious. With films such as Under the Sand, Swimming Pool and By the Grace of God.

He’s in a far lighter mood, with possibly his lightest, frothiest yet, with this period comedy.

On her way to talk to a big time producer is actress Madeleine (Nadia Tereskiewicz). Unfortunately the meeting doesn’t quite go to plan, and she doesn’t get the role she wanted. What she gets however, are sexual advances, which she turns down instantly then flees his home.

She then discovers, along with her roommate Pauline (Rebecca Marder), who just so happens to be a lawyer, that the producer has been found dead, murdered. And Madeleine is the prime suspect.

At first she refutes the allegation, but when it’s made out that she could actually benefit from admitting to the crime, she confesses. But will her supposed crime pay?

Although Ozon has made comedies before, this has to be his most playful. Set in the 1930’s, based loosely on the 1934 play Mon Crime, the French director embraces the lightness of touch, which closely tiptoes towards farce territory.

At the same time, he explores themes such as gender equality, as it often reveals itself to be somewhat of a battle of the sexes, with the female characters coming out on top, and rightly so.

It certainly has a retro charm, but perhaps doesn’t hit the comedic notes it should be.

There are some nice performances too, but Isabelle Huppert certainly appears to be enjoying the rare opportunity for her to truly let her hair down and go for it with real zest.

It’s certainly a refreshing change from some of his other, more dramatic work, and although he nails the period, you get the impression there was just a little more fun to be had, which isn’t a crime per se, but may be deserving of a slap on the wrist at the very least.