Rien à foutre

Every soul carries its share of baggage, and in Emmanuel Marre and Julie Lecoustre's evocative drama 'Zero Fucks Given', this universal truth is explored with a potent blend of literal and metaphorical resonance.

From the outset, viewers are confronted with a vivid tableau of desperation and anxiety as we witness a woman, visibly on the brink, grappling to fit her baggage into the rigid compartments of travel. This struggle serves as a poignant allegory for the protagonist Cassandre's emotional journey, portrayed with remarkable depth by the talented Adele Exarchopolous. As the narrative unfolds, we delve into a trove of accumulated sorrow borne out of loss and unprocessed grief. The void left by her mother's passing haunts not only Cassandre but also her father and sister, each ensnared in their private battle with the remnants of despair.

Cassandre's instinct is to flee from her torment, hoping to find solace in new horizons. Yet, the film eloquently underscores a stark reality: no matter how far you fly, the shadows of your past will tail closely behind. No destination exotic enough, no drug potent enough, and no career enticing enough can mask the wounds etched deep within. Cassandre's futile attempt at evasion reflects a melancholy truth; the specters of the past are loyal companions on the journey of life.

As the narrative reaches its crescendo, 'Zero Fucks Given' nudges its protagonist and the audience towards an inescapable realization: healing is a voyage inward. Amid the gentle symbolism of the roundabout, where Cassandre finds herself towards the end of the film, lies a profound message. Just as life's relentless currents swirl around, individuals like Cassandre find themselves anchored amidst its flow by their unaddressed burdens.

In the emotionally charged final act, we witness Cassandre mustering the courage to face the shadows of her past, a crucial step that hints at the dawn of acceptance. As she untangles the knots of her grief, there's a subtle uplift in the narrative tone, leaving both Cassandre and the audience with a budding hope for the days to come. This tender note of optimism amidst a journey laden with emotional tumult encapsulates the essence of 'Zero Fucks Given', offering a gentle nudge towards the liberating path of self-confrontation and healing. Through Cassandre's evolving lens, we are reminded that facing our internal tumult is the first step towards unfurling a future free from the anchor of unresolved sorrow.

In the end I loved the film. It starts off as a rather offputting look into the culture of a cheap airline. Cassandre seems willingly lost in a job she does not enjoy; at times the film seems almost a satire. Then slowly the focus shifts and the backstory of her escape becomes the main focus. She is still grieving a loss and unable to let go.

I love the authentic way the Adèle delivers the inner emotions of Cassandre. The moment when Cassandre fails to hold a 30 second smile in a corporate course; or the call with the mobile operator are simply touching.

In an IRL filming technique I could very much believe this is how it is to be a flight attendant/cabin master. Speaking as a friend of a Pilot of a low budget airline in the USA, the stories he told me of how it is for real. After work during a few days layover they would have leftover mini alcohol bottles and he would drink and play video games online, then sober up and fly the next day. As far as the instagram fabulous life they portray, it seems that way but not really. I feel this movie really captured it all in a behind the scenes irl style even if it is scripted.

In itself, its a women on the labour market socialrealismic flick, and its directly a story about the life of work of a female flight attendant of the 2020's. It gives you a raw incision into a craft that may give a lot of pleasures and fun, at the same time your just as the wailing wall of jerusalem, a job where the customer is right in 99.999% of the time, where mind and temper control is always at high gear, and the company managment appears to considering you as a cattle in a farmers sales fare, with managers at different levels just there to squeeze out the last drop of honesty and efforts, to try to survive in the second most popular profession in the world amongst girls, where the wages and work hours are so depressed due to a surge of ''3rd world'' low wages employees, making all kinds of organizing in trade unions hardly impossible, and where the threat of being sacked in promptu hangs like a hammer over your head...at the same time as being satisfied with ones job aint enough, and where the lack of wishing promotion is considered a maligne disease by todays managers( its very much the same in the medical nursing profession that ive belonged to for 3 generations, where the rush for specialised continued education is a must rather than a wish, often paid by yourself, that leads to financial ruin for the latter part of your working life. I got shell shocked when working on my bachelor exam, and promised myself to never ever putting myself in such a situation once again!!!)

its definately not a comedy, and not erotic in the sense you might want, even though the main actress is a beauty in one of a kind, it will oppose and include you into the desperation and limbo that this young woman undergoes. Its a powerful critizism towards the feverish globalisation weve undergone in the past 30 years and the makers of this movie did a good job ,making you speculate afterwards how this story will move on.

So if your in for a realistic take of a maneating trade, then do watch rien a foutre, a grumpy old mans recommend.

The lead actor played the role very well, but I didn't feel like the film was really going anywhere.

I cycle of scenes from planes, night clubs, hanging around the hotel/house.

It showed how empty and meaningless her life is. And highlighted how grim work can be at times.