Les beaux gosses

This comedy is easily comparable to the recent American teenage sex-romps, especially the American Pie series, however, at the same time it is a totally different movie. American Pie, as funny as it was, was not witty or intelligent. The French Kissers, directed by first-timer Riad Sattouf, is very funny, but also an accurate representation of what teenage boys experience in high school. Although not all just think of sex, all are curious. This movie follows Herve (Vincent Lacoste) and his best mate Camel (Anthony Sonigo) as they deal with bullies, homework, family, hormones and the girls they so long desire. There is no solid plot, rather, it is a disjointed series of events that happen during a year that summarise a hectic time for teenagers. Relationships are lost and started, tests and asssignments are forgotten about till the last minute, parents pry into their child's sex life, and friends hang out and talk about their latest fling or sexcapades.

What I find makes this movie so good is the performances of the actors, who instill such life into their characters. Lacoste is incredibly funny as the nerdy guy with low self-esteem, but whose hormones are constantly raging. Sonigo is just as funny as the heavy metal loving, mullet wearing best friend who longs for the most beautiful girl in the school. Alice Trémolière and Julie Scheibling are fantastic as Aurore and Laura, the two girls who Herve and Camel lust after with varying degrees of luck. One last mention should go to Noémie Lvovsky as Herve's mother, who never stops prying and loving her son. Honestly, her character was so believable not just because Lvovsky was so good, but I can relate as my mother was a lot like her. Which brings me the screenplay, which is great as it brings a sense of realism to all the proceedings. Nothing is too far-fetched in this movie, which brings it above most American comedies of this nature.

The soundtrack is excellent, and of course, Sattouf's direction is excellent. Yes, this is a very crude movie, with the majority of it being about sex and the various other activities a couple may get up to. Not everyone will enjoy it, the constant talk of masturbation, sex, french kissing (hence the title), and porn will put off people who do not feel comfortable with those subjects. But at the film's heart is a touching story of slowly discovering one's self, and thankfully Sattouf does not resort to sappiness and sentimentality with this theme. Unlike the many American comedies which end neatly with everything returning to normal, this ends in a way which mirrors how high school can really be (but I'm not going to spoil that here).

4/5

In kanopy, it's the french kissers, but en france, les beaux gosses, which loosely translates as the hot guys. Vincent lacoste is hervé, a student in paris. He tries so hard, but nothing is going right. Including his love life. So when aurore invites him to a house party, it's kind of a surprise. It's a coming of age film. She may be more experienced than he, so it gets pretty awkward. Life is all about timing. And learning. And making mistakes. It's pretty good. Nothing too new here, but we've all gone through the pains of growing up. Co-stars alice trémolières and anthony sonigo. Directed by riad sattouf. He also directed lacoste and sonigo in "jacky in the kingdom of women" in 2014.

Les Beaux Gosses literally means The Good Looking Kids. In this movie nothing could be further from the truth. Not that it matters though. You will see pimply kids, kids with a mullet, obese kids and nerdy kids. I just thought that was a smart thing to do. It looks more real than any other American teenager movie played by young beautiful adults passing for sixteen year old adolescents. In Les Beaux Gosses you get the typical view of adolescents discovering the other gender. Most of the time frustrated by their excessive testosterone, they try to have their first sexual experience, or try to get it on with their secret crush. Normally it's not the kind of movies I would go for but I have to admit it was funny to watch. Not all the time but it has it's moments.

First off, let me point out that this movie is by no means a french halfassed version of "super bad" (which I do love)or "American Pie", not that this movie is better (well actually it is way better than "American pie"!), it's just different, it's almost documentary style, but not as much as "The class", by the end of the movie, which is quite wonderful, because it miraculously mixes the bleakness of men's condition and the natural optimism and resilience of a young man who knows he has his life in front of him, you care for the characters, you hurt with them, way more than in American movie I've seen recently about similar subjects. I think the reason why is the sincerity of the director, who tackles every subjects, such as every day racism, misogyny, masturbation, the relationship between a adolescent and their parents, with a candour that would be deemed unacceptable by American audiences, anyway I guess. So this movie is extremely funny, the hero even has a Micheal Cera quality to him, but with less mannerisms, and it's impossible not to identify with the two main characters. So in conclusion,it is both a funny, beautiful and deeply nostalgic film about the transformation of a child into a man, if you will. Try not to miss it, but unless you live in France...well, wait for the DVD then !

I just saw this at the Traverse City Film Festival. If your idea of "funny" is watching adolescent, pimply French boys jerking off into their socks, please feel free to attend.

The protagonist is immature, unlikable, and just plain MEAN. He dismisses a girl who has the temerity to ask him if he wants to go out by calling her a "cow" and walking away laughing at her, leaving her in tears. The callousness of that scene is never redeemed. That is just an example of the loutishness in this film that passes for humor.

I gave it a 4 only because of the impressiveness of the female lead. Other than her screen time, don't waste your time.