NewEnglandFilm.com

Becoming an adult must somehow involve coming to grips in some way with the adults that mean the most to us — our parents. In Noah Nuer’s “Get a Way,” Didier (Maxime Desmons) unsuccessfully reaches out to his estranged father (Christian Hinninger), who pushes him away, deriding him as a queer. At the same time, he needs to help his mentally unstable mother move into her new apartment, prodded by his bitter sister Claire (Josy Bernard). Driving around Paris in a fury, he nearly runs over the bicycling Anne (Agnes Roland), who has troubles of her own. She has just failed her finals at school and cannot face her judgmental parents. When he discovers that Anne’s bike has a flat, Didier promises to fix it and gives her a ride in his van.

So begins the charming “Get a Way” (in French with subtitles), showing at the Rhode Island International Film Festival. Didier claims to be gay, a claim supported by his family, but there’s an obvious chemistry between him and Anne, so much so that it’s difficult not to wonder if he’s just avoiding romance at all costs. Anne, too, is openly hostile toward men, feeling the burn of the male gaze wherever she turns. They become fast friends, and as they compare their respective situations, they force each other to confront life — and family — with a renewed sense of urgency.

The film takes Didier and Anne all over Paris on a series of misadventures, and both actors do a fine job. Roland, in particular, captures Anne’s anger and pluck — and her growing attraction to Didier. And while it seems to end a bit too soon, with a conclusion more implied than seen, “Get a Way” never falters along the way, with excellent dialogue and character development throughout. This directorial debut (and that of the lead actors as well) is bound to turn some heads. Check it out.