Bang Gang

As a teenager, there are many depictions of teenage sexuality that I find have followed their own successful formula for so long that they fail to depict modern adolescent sexuality accurately. Bang Gang is indeed, as it is billed as, a "modern love story". In particular, the impact of social media on the psyches and voyeuristic attitudes of my generation are perfectly encompassed. Within director Eva Husson's spectacle, there are familiar themes: the need to be wanted, to be set apart from the herd, the loneliness that comes with attaining your fantasies and finding that they are not enough (read: the scene in which Alex, high on vice, stumbles completely naked out to the pool–where teenagers are copulating and filming it all on camera for online distribution–and plunges in, attempting to shut everything out). As a teenager, there was always a certain orgiastic essence to house parties, people sneaking off to bathrooms and guest bedrooms to hook up, spin the bottle and escalating dares, so that the possibilities of such an event happening, as it did in real life, do not seem far-fetched. The imagery and cinematography of the movie is spectacular. The control of light and palette is exquisite, so that a normally vulgar tableau–consider Harmony Korine's "Kids", all grit and no softness–is rendered soft and ambient. There are some shots that could come straight out of a pre-Raphaelite painting. And maybe that's what's so beautiful about this movie; youth isn't some dispensable, ephemeral quantity of life, regardless of its course, youth does guide our lives, and teaches us that to be happy, you have to risk being hurt.

About immature teenagers doing drugs, smoking weed and having sex with no concerns about the consequences. #Terrible

Although, Bang Gang forwardly touches on specific true events had by the curiosities, desires and boredom of the modern-teenage life, it well captures the freedom and the euphoric/dejected, consciousness in the quick moving life-span of these events in teen life today. It feels as though instead of experiencing these fast moments (like things often seemed as a teenager), it's like we're on the back-burner of their minds, watching in a cinematic sense and taking in the subtle details. Playfully reckless actions taken, lust, the sudden bursts of excitement, wanting to feel alive, wanting to be wanted and eventually wishing to be left alone VS the common crowd. Feelings that I believe are commonly amplified in teen years. Whether you are now an adult or a teen looking to view this film, afterwards you may think that this movie depicts nothing more than bad decisions and the lewd minds of youth today; or that maybe this display of teen life is but yet another overrated tale of many. But as an adult who appreciates French films and this common preference for the essence of a moment expressed (which most would view as a dull, simplistic happening in a scene), the director did well to display emotion through the characters actions, down to their very gestures, keying into longing; annoyance, lust, love, sadness, joy, coping and the journey onward after a summer's end of fun with little to no responsibility.

This movie made me appreciate my past teen years even more so. Fleeting moments experienced, the friends and strangers met, good and bad, it all plays as a certain structure in our subconscious learning as we grow into our future selves and venture into adulthood, and man does it fly by.

In the movie, Laetitia mention's how everything went by so fast, feeling like a dream. There's this look of heavy thought expressed on her face, perhaps reminiscing..

And then it's on to the next thing.

Although some may argue: Is it really love? And the movie dives into questions about how young people on the verge of growing up and into adulthood, absorb things and live with them. It is not just an excuse to make fun or be too negative about current social media consumption or how teens choose to do things and their value system.

In a world where almost everything is oversexed, how will that impact those who have quite the sex drive? Interesting theme, with perspectives from both sexes and scenes that feel real - even when they recreate "porn". This has a lot of nudity obviously and it might not be for everyone to watch. It's an interesting attempt to show us something without judging too much. We even see the family lifes ... with all their sadness sometimes. You can't even blame parents all the time ... it's a weird life and might get even weirder - not that cancel culture and other things will likely help ... remember: not allowing somethings will provoke. It is better to educate rather then just shut down! So maybe there is some bright light in the future? Will the movie give us that message or will it stay neutral?

I have nothing against explicit sex in movies when it has a function to make the story stronger and leave a deeper impression. Of course, I like good porn too. But when a movie that is not porn is based on two hours of sex and nudity while there's no relevant story, that is simply a crappy movie. Neither it tells a good story, nor shows good sex. I want my two hours back.

4/10