User reviews

"16 ans" combines the classic story of Romeo & Juliet with issues of racism, religion and also upbringing of children. Eventhough some elements of the story are interesting (e.g. The brother of the main character who was falsely accused of theft), the main story line seemed sort of empty or shallow, for the romantic relationship of Leo and Nora could have been explored deeper (I must admit that at times I just didn't belive their strong connection). First half of the movie is slow-paced, predectible and I would say a bit emotionless, on the other hand the final chapter was unexpected and quite shocking. It is definitely not a ground-breaking picture, but it is an interesting modern take on the story of Romeo & Juliet.

The film bears more than a distant resemblance to Gerard Blain's "Pierre et Djemilah"(1986), one of the most pessimistic French works of the eighties. This tragedy was depicted in a Bressonesque way (one thinks of "Mouchette" ). Very short,with a stunning spare of gestures and words,Blain's movie went straight to the heart.

Forget the hackneyed Romeo and Juliet subject which has been used and used and used again ;unlike Blain,Lioret 's style is not bressonesque , but the director remains true to form Philippe Lioret has not made a bad movie yet ;I would go as far as to write that "Toutes Nos Envies" ,"Je Vais Bien Ne T'en Fais Pas" ,"L'Equipier" "Welcome" or "Tombés Du Ciel"have placed him firmly and definitively among French finest contemporary directors .With "Le Fils De Jean " ,he simply became my favorite contemporary French director,along with Robert Guédiguian .

Both young actors are very good, two lovers overtaken by events ; like in Blain's effort ,the girl comes from a muslim family but this time the boy belongs to the bourgeoisie :hasn't he got a private swimming -pool ?But the stand -out is for me the boy's father :Jean -Pierre Lorit was a remarkable Antoine in a rather so-so miniseries based on Martin Du Gard's "les Thibault" .

The gap between both families would have caused problems but perhaps not insurmountable; and that a simple bottle of wine (fancy wine: Chateau-Margaux!) may trigger such an escalation of violence shows Lioret's talent for story-telling ,in a classic way but with scenes and lines which hit home; the last lines of the movie pack a real wallop and some may find the father's attitude inhuman , but when the pain is so big you feel nothing at all.