La vita di Adele

I saw this film on the last night it was playing at my local theater and I jumped on the opportunity. Once it was over I realized how smart of a decision it was. I read a review of the film that said something along the lines of, "the trouble with this film being 3 hours is that you want to watch it for several more." I couldn't agree more with that statement. The story, along with its characters, moves the film along to the point where it didn't feel like 3 hours.

This film was probably the most emotionally intense and powerful movie I've seen in a very long time. You believed everything you were seeing and it forced you to feel it along with the characters. As much that has been written about this film, the acting can not be overstated. These two actresses are a revelation in this movie.

It seems that whenever the topic of homosexuality is covered by a film it usually contains some sort of hate crime or bias against homosexuality somewhere in the story that the film's characters have to face and overcome. What's refreshing about this film is that there is a dash of that but its in the beginning of the film and never becomes the focus of the conflict with the characters. The film acknowledges that bias is there but brushes it aside to say that there is something bigger and more important at play with the characters. Really nice to see that in a film.

This movie ranks as one of the best films I've seen this year and am so happy I had a chance to see it.

Seldom will you find, such adoration, unrefined, as a beautiful romance, takes us with it on its dance, though the rocks that taunt us all, cascade, descend, to cover all, but the passion and desire, leave you breathless and on fire!!!

Perfect, in almost every way.

I certainly blinked when I found out this movie was 3 hours long, especially considering that it won the Palm d'Or where many winners have a slow and painful plot. This movie on the other hand does a great job keeping every scene riveting through great dialog and riveting emotions. I would compare many of the scenes in this movie to Tarantino scenes where scenes take on a life of their own. Cleverness and awkwardness were dispersed in a way to make it seem real and ultimately human. I felt wonderfully disappointed when certain scenes ended. The actresses held nothing back in their body language and added much to the moment-to-moment importance of their character development.

I envy people who haven't seen this film. Easily the best film I've seen this year. Everything in it is generalisable, you can recognise bits of your life in the various stages. (For me it's the cafe scene, my God, Adele says she used to eat scabs, in that scene she's sticking a dagger in her own heart and twisting it- it's excoriating, naked and raw. Sado- masochistic, almost. She's asking a question she knows the answer to and the answer will torture her).

It's an emotional voyage, the sex scenes are not that important, there's more lascivious eating than sex, the leads are absolutely incredible. This film really, truly moved me. I hope Adele's OK.

I was fortunate enough to see this movie at a screening last night in Los Angeles. It was amazing, everything about it amazing! Kechiche is something special. He works on something until he gets it right, and the only time he gets it right is when he feels comfortable with what he has shot. At the Q&A afterward with Kechiche, Seydoux and Exarchopoulos, I learned that they shot some of the takes 100 times!

His methods are unconventional. Because of this you are able to experience cinema in a whole new light. The acting was so real, so moving; these actresses gave everything they had, I'm just blown away with what I viewed. My hat is off to Exarchopoulos and Seydoux as actresses. No matter how painful and difficult the process must of been to make this movie in the end I think that they would have to agree it was worth it. To know that you gave everything is something special, and something that I hope I can look back to on my career and say I felt as well. Kechiche, call me, I want to be in your next film!!