SHALL WE KISS
Shall We Not
Should You Watch It?
This French story-within-a-story has the makings of a funny screwball comedy. Its excellent cast finds both emotional and comedic value in the scenes, and the movie includes many witty, sometimes deadpan moments.
The trouble is that the entire setup treats sexual relations as something women should provide when a man says he has “needs.” The film shows adultery as destructive, but its later twists soften those consequences and suggest that betrayal and divorce can ultimately work out well.
Because of its strong sexual content and troubling message, this is better reserved for discerning adults at home, not a family movie night.
The Story
NO SPOILERS — WE KEEP THE SURPRISESAfter dinner, Emilie meets Gabriel and refuses his request for a kiss, warning that there is no “kiss without consequences.” She tells him a story about Nicolas and Judith, his married female best friend.
When Nicolas loses his girlfriend, he confides in Judith about his needs. Their decision to kiss draws them into a relationship that threatens both Judith’s marriage and Nicolas’ future with another woman. The story’s consequences unfold through several twists.
Is It Any Good?
Three stars means this is a well-made film with genuine charm, though its ideas and content limit its audience.
Emmanuel Mouret plays Nicolas, while also writing and directing. His deadpan reactions are often very funny and witty. The cast is excellent, playing each scene for its emotional and comedic worth. The movie sometimes recalls a screwball comedy from the 1940s.
Those strengths make the film engaging, but they cannot resolve the problems at the center of its premise. The humor and craftsmanship are real; so are the reasons this should be watched only by discerning adults.
The Worldview
The film presents a strong romantic worldview, including some fatalistic statements. Its central question treats a kiss as a gateway to consequences, but the movie’s answer is deeply shaped by sexual desire and romantic attachment.
The film’s setup suggests that a man who is not in an intimate relationship should be “serviced” by another woman. Sexual relations are treated as the real meaning behind the request to kiss. Adultery and prostitution appear in a positive light, even though the adultery also produces destructive consequences.
The movie therefore recognizes that betrayal can damage marriages and relationships, but its ending minimizes those consequences by suggesting that everything can work out better afterward. That conflicts with the biblical seriousness about sexual faithfulness and the protection of marriage.
Scripture calls believers to honor marriage and reject sexual immorality: “Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled” (Hebrews 13:4).
The Content Guide
The specifics — spoilers included by nature — so you can judge for your own family.
Content Summary
Very strong Romantic worldview with some fatalistic statements; no foul language; no violence; implied sexual scenes, much discussion of sex, discussion that a male character has to have sexual relations and can’t control himself, and much kissing and fondling; upper female nudity, upper male nudity, rear male nudity; drinking of alcohol; smoking; and, adultery and prostitution shown in a positive light.
Talk About It
Questions for the drive home, the dinner table, or the youth group.
The film connects a kiss with consequences. How can small choices begin to shape larger patterns in our lives?
Galatians 6:7 · Proverbs 14:12The story involves adultery and the damage it causes. Why does Scripture treat marital faithfulness as a serious covenant obligation?
Exodus 20:14 · Hebrews 13:4A male character is described as unable to control his sexual desires. What does biblical self-control look like when desire is strong?
1 Corinthians 6:18–20 · Galatians 5:22–23The movie suggests that painful consequences can eventually work out for the best. How should Christians think about forgiveness, consequences, and repentance?
2 Corinthians 7:10 · Proverbs 28:13The Final Word
This is a charming, witty, well-acted comedy with a premise and content that require serious discernment. Because it minimizes the consequences of adultery while including strong sexual material, our answer is WAIT FOR HOME — ADULTS ONLY. For a safer family choice, see.
