La vita di Adele

This year's Palm d'Or winner is a coming of age story about a teenage girl, Adele (the literal title in French is The Life of Adele), who discovers her homosexuality and begins a relationship with Emma, a college student. For a while, I was thinking this was a good but fairly unremarkable entry into the queer cinema canon, but, over the film's three hours, well, you see why the long running time was necessary. It is just a very detailed picture of a life. It feels more real than most films - it feels like more time has past and that we've just felt Adele's growth. Frankly, I didn't feel the length of it at all - I wanted it to be longer. It really helps that the actresses are so perfect. Adele Exarchopoulos is simply fantastic - this is the performance of the year, really. Her face is so expressive. The film takes place over several years, and you really do see her grow from a child to an adult. Lea Seydoux plays Emma. Her role is less demanding, but she's still great in it. Now, the biggest story of this film has probably been the graphic sex scenes. My opinion on them: I actually do think they're a bit too graphic, gratuitous and almost pornographic. I try to justify them artistically in my mind, and I'm afraid I can't. There's a plot point near the end where you kind of have to know that the girls' sex life was fantastic, but I'm not sure we had to see it in anywhere near as much detail as we did. They're without a doubt awkward to sit through, but they don't ruin the film either.

This is a good movie. I liked very much the way in which it describes the birth, maturity and end of a love interest among two young and attractive humans. The scenes in the park and the interplay of sentiments and nuances between the two lovers are very emotional and engaging. The difference of characters is very well presented.

The other good point is the sometimes humoristic way in which the down to earth and pragmatic family and social environment of Adele is juxtaposed with the artistic, intellectual and avant guard family and friends of Emma. I think this is the best part of the movie when one compares the realism of Adele with the artistic license of Emma. The scenes where both eat with each others family and the ensuing dialogues are a treat.

And now what you are all waiting for: the sex scenes. They are long, hot and explicit. I can not pronounce with conviction whether they served the artistic purposes of the movie or not. If someone wanted to watch the full bloom of a lesbian love story, the scenes may be considered indispensable, if you just wanted to watch a human love story between two people that happen also to have the same sex without caring for so much carnal detail, the scenes could be shorter and more circumspect. The point nevertheless is that those scenes caused a sensation and created a furore and debate from which the movie profited in terms of advertisement. People may now blame or praise it for the wrong reasons.

Both actresses where very good in playing their roles. The portrayal by Exarchopoulos of Adele as a teacher in a kinder-garden reading to the children didactic stories with animals or of her abilities as a cook and her insistence that Emma should eat something while Emma is consumed by a telephone call in which she raves about her artistic personality, integrity and vision ignoring Adele and the immediate environment are superb. She is also an actress which made feel empathy for her character. Seydoux is also very credible as the pretentious modernistic and ultimately self-centered Emma. And to conclude with a personal view I liked Adele much more than Emma as a person...

I just want to start off by saying this is an amazing film about young love that is actually honest with its audience. There are countless of films about people falling in love, but when you see "Blue is the Warmest Colour". You realize just how rare films are that make a sincere attempt to catch what it really is like to fall for someone, without sentimentality, forced cuteness or cheap emotional manipulation. This is the rare love story that has real emotional truth about it. The fact that it is about two women who fall for each other is almost secondary to the way the film catches the universality of what it is like to fall in love and maintain the relationship. "Blue is the Warmest Colour is a naturalistic and touching film, whether you're gay, straight, bisexual, or whatever orientation. This is a film that can give you relationship advice and life guidance no matter what your orientation may be. It isn't an indulgent film bringing only a unique gay relationship to light and nothing more, and it isn't an ode to "coming out" and stockpiled clichés of "being different." It shows how an interaction with a person can have a truly provocative impact on you as a person.

The struggles between the two lovers is depicted in breathtaking detail. The director masterfully captures all of the turmoil and hardship going on between Adele's and Emma's relationship. The movie's long running time does not effect the film at all because you are so immersed into their characters. The sexual realization of Adele is perfectly shown in the movie. She is confused and doesn't know what she wants, it is a typical teenage problem. This movie is ultimately about Adele and her struggles to find her true self. The transformation that she experiences is utterly engrossing to watch. The film's nearly three hour running time is devoted to showing the growth of her character and it is absolutely amazing to watch it unfold right in front of your eyes.The intimate scene's between Adele and Emma are nothing short of miraculous in their depth and their honesty. The conversations are heartfelt, and the pain is evident and shared. It's realism of the world we live in is honest and raw.

The movie owes so much of it's emotional power to its two fantastic actresses. They really bring it their all in this. I've never had doubts of these two performances, the characters felt like real people and you felt so much for their relationship. Their emotional hardships feel completely real. The character's flaws and insecurities feel so authentic because you actually believe them as real human beings. We never lose sight of their chemistry and devotion to one another, even in the most difficult of times. The two of them are like fireworks, waiting to explode out. I cannot recommend this film enough to those of you out there who are interested in seeing this. This is one of the wisest and least condescending films I've seen this year. I congratulate the director, Abdellatif Kechiche and the two actresses, Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux for an emotional and spiritual journey that had me compelled to the screen for 179 glorious minutes.

Of the two competition films I saw in Cannes, this was luckily one of them. If you enjoy foreign cinema at all you will likely find this mesmerizing. I'm a straight male but I couldn't help but feel strongly for the two women during this unconventional love story.

I'll go ahead and let you know that the sex scenes are incredibly graphic (though some have claimed they are unrealistic) and VERY long. I didn't clock any of them but I'm pretty sure one of them is 15 minutes. So, fair warning.

I'd recommend BItWC to anyone who didn't like Transformers 3 or Pirates F-ing 17. Great acting. Great direction. Strong Story. Plus, it's the Palm d'Or.

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.