Jessica Forever

I was excited by the 'reverse lost boys' premise of this film. Ultimately, though, the film aims high but definitely isn't able to pull it off. It is true that sometimes 'less is more', but JF provides zero reasoning for why the characters are in the situation we find them in, and no hints about WHY this should be a secret. Ultimately, a lot of posturing but very little substance.

One star for a very cute kitten.

This french movie was a really good surprise for me! It's a rare & strong painting of our world and his complicated feelings. The story, the characters and the images are both unique, strong and powerfull. I've never seen this before and I won't forget it.

In a parallel universe of the not so distant future a lone young woman, Jessica, leads a band of male orphans rejected by the outside world for their violent tendencies. Her influence calms their will to create mayhem. Without Jessica these misfits are easy prey to the security forces who wish to eliminate them. Together they form a strike force protecting similarity situated male youth. With Jessica there is no blame, and all are free to leave. She searches for ways that the orphans can be happy again. "Bad things don't last forever," Jessica declares "we have to stop them from happening." Yet when one of the more vulnerable members of the group is killed, even Jessica struggles to contain their rage.

This original and refreshingly independent film contains attractive scenery, characters and actors, and wonderful ideas. Departed relatives reappear to talk to the living, there are night swims in the moonlight and the landscape seems to come alive to protect its residents. Given a better budget, organization and acting talent, this film could go somewhere. World premiere seen at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival.

I'm not quite sure why everyone is marking this movie so low. It's a fascinating look at masculinity for young men growing up in a violent, shoot-em-up world that is near-reality. The scene where they dance together is full of young boy angst, bubbling under the skin. Sure, it's slow-paced and grows, but the idea that a female presence can calm their anger in a way they have never known is interesting and explored well. I'm not keen on the ending, which seems to then go against what Jessica has in mind all along, but the idea that an unsaid terrible world event lurks in their past and is never named is very clever and maybe just a little too low key for the masses to grasp, but why are there drones, why is nobody about, why are huge houses empty? This is never addressed, which is part of the unique feel to the film. More movies like this are needed. It's not just beautiful, but the fact it is is only a tribute to the filmmakers.

There is nothing this movie did well, the synopsis lied to us completely, the characters are as interesting as chocolate raisins, the Jessica in the title has absolutely no impact in the narrative, the first 20 minutes has a plot whereas the hour after that had none, the music is horrendous, the editing is choppy and confusing... And I could go on with the negatives.

It is probably the worst made movie I have ever seen but I couldn't stop laughing at what I was watching. As a comedy I would take this over some of the tosh they put out nowadays but that is all for the wrong reasons. I had fun but I could completely understand someone coming out of this movie saying this was one of the worst they've ever seen.