IF THE words 'French musical about AIDS' fill you with dread, take heart: Jeanne et le Garçon Formidable (Jeanne and the Perfect Guy) is a delightful and amusing explosion of music, dance and vibrant colour. The Jeanne in question is a beautiful and fun-loving receptionist, who enjoys having plenty of boyfriends as she has yet to find the perfect one who will mean everything to her. When she does, however, it turns out that he is dying of AIDS, and that despite all the love she feels there is nothing she can do about it. The film successfully avoids both becoming depressing and trivialising a serious subject. It is, above all, about life and the need to enjoy it to the full. The first number, sung by the office cleaners, is both contemporary and topical. As the musical numbers are mixed with spoken dialogue, with no intrusive bursting into song from all and sundry, it is possible to enjoy them without it interrupting the flow of the narrative. The two directors draw their music from all sources (World, tango, melodic duets). This is accompanied by contemporary dance - and here everybody does join in - and a wealth of beautifully composed images. While the main story itself is compelling enough, the subsidiary and totally wacky characters such as the book seller (Emmanuelle Goizé) and the plumber (Michel Raskine) serve to complete this as a feast for the senses.