Eden

what a great film! if you like house and more to the point..French filtered house, then you will love this. its more music orientated than anything else and has some credible DJs doing cameos - Tony Humphries, Arnold Jarvis & a PA by India. it captures the whole vibe of mid 90s clubbing very well - mixed with relationships, drugs and non-stop parties. i like the main actor as a DJ as he is understated and plays it down, keeping the success of his work and the scene on a low key as a lot of DJs are very unassuming. the Daft Punk characters are present and their tunes are well received by clubbers from everywhere. perhaps its time to make a British version of the amazing 90s house scene which captured everyone's imagination to the max. some of the tunes in the film are these classics : Follow Me - Aly Us, The Whistle Song - Frankie Knuckles, Caught In The Middle - Juliet Roberts, Promised Land - Joe Smooth, Sweet Harmony - Liquid, Da Funk - Daft Punk, Finally - Kings of tomorrow, To Be In love - Masters At Work feat India......ENJOY

Let me start with the positives: some good 90's tunes and an accurate description of club nightlife. Not too many films have achieved that.

It definitely meanders and is far too long, but i wasn't bored. However,it is essentially the tale of a DJ who never hits the true heights, and neglects friends, lovers and family. And then it ends.

Eden is a French film about an up and coming DJ named Paul. Sounds like 'We Are Your Friends' doesn't it? Well, it's unlike any other film like this. It isn't a underdog story or a catastrophic failure type of movie. No, this is a film about what it may cost to follow your dreams. So often these days we are prompted to blindly follow our dreams in life. This film shows what could come of following this passion. This is why 'Eden' is so unique. It seems to effortlessly break the mold of films in this genre. And it does it so easily. It may be to slow and unconventional for some but it's real. We helplessly watch as Paul slips slowly into drugs and debt that seems to come with this profession. There is a lot else that this film does right. For example, cinematography. It's a beautifully shot and stylized film. The clubs that our main character bounces between teem with life and color. While the outside world is dark and dull. This subtly shows how our main character subconsciously feels to the world around him. It's an impressive detail that so many other films disregard showing. Granted, this works better for other films but still. Again, the biggest highlight of this film is in it's story. It is able to show, in a realistic way, what toll "following your heart" may have. Not only that, but it also displays how simple it can be to lose yourself into a lifestyle that you may not even be able to afford. It's an impressively constructed story that offers a timely message. Using the 1990's as a backdrop, 'Eden' is able to create a story that feels prefect for our generation. Like, most films that stray from the beaten path, 'Eden' does have some drawbacks. Most specifically in its characters. It never really digs into what makes these people click. Instead it uses them only to progress the message that it is trying to get across. If the film needs someone to have a break down then someone will. Never does it feel like a natural progression for its characters. Things just happen to them if the film feels like they need to happen. This makes the film come off stiff. This makes the dialogue and performances a bit off. Is it good when you really think about it? Sure. But if you are just watching and listening without any thought of criticism then you'll notice that it isn't quite right. Again, this is because it never takes the time to flesh out its characters. 'Eden' is one of the more intriguing films of the year. It offers compelling insight into just how costly life can be. It's a timeless message that anyone can relate to. This coupled with great direction and beautiful cinematography make for a satisfying experience. Yet, it never quite becomes more than just satisfying. Its lackluster characters and stiff all around feel hold 'Eden' back from greatness.

A Parisian DJ spends all his money on drugs, records, & designer cloths, has guest lists that are so large they're like half the attendees, gives much of his guest list drink comps, starts a record label putting out very generic dance music in a single genre, and then wonders why he's broke. Short of the government of France giving him an artist stipend, which I suppose isn't entirely irrational considering what he brings to the city of Paris, I'm not sure how you could expect this to turn out any other way.

Other than the seemingly-obligatory (for this kind of movie) death of a friend that predictably occurs (though oddly off-screen), not much really happens. At the very least, we could have gotten to know the characters in a more empathetic and interesting way, rather than sort of cookie cutter, 2D representations.

I did like how some DJ gear showed up in this movie that I recognized. Actually, I'm a gear head, so I recognized all of it ;-) But the CD players appeared way too early according to the dates shown. People were also using Denon DJ and Numark players before Pioneer CDJs ever showed up in the booth.

The best thing about this movie was the music and the girls, but even that can be boring considering it was mostly the same girls and only one genre of music. I don't get how anyone can only play one genre.

Oh, and the DJ this is based on apparently knew Daft Punk before they were famous. If you can't get Daft Punk to actually do a cameo in your movie, though, best to leave that part out.

Mia Hansen-Love's film 'Eden' is an affectionate portrait of dance culture, set mostly in Paris over the best part of two decades. But, as its title suggests, it's also a portrait of ejection from paradise, and of having, eventually, to grow up, stop taking drugs, forge a lasting relationship, and find a job that pays the bills. Although it's a long movie, it feels very natural and easy to watch, even for those of us who were never clubbing affectionados; and its central character's fall from grace is foreshadowed but gradual, the inevitable result of the passage of time. The film is arguably generous to its protagonist, and the cast as a whole is rather beautiful; but it carries a warmth that would be lacking in a more satirical portrait. I liked it.