La vie d'Adèle

I envy people who haven't seen this film. Easily the best film I've seen this year. Everything in it is generalisable, you can recognise bits of your life in the various stages. (For me it's the cafe scene, my God, Adele says she used to eat scabs, in that scene she's sticking a dagger in her own heart and twisting it- it's excoriating, naked and raw. Sado- masochistic, almost. She's asking a question she knows the answer to and the answer will torture her).

It's an emotional voyage, the sex scenes are not that important, there's more lascivious eating than sex, the leads are absolutely incredible. This film really, truly moved me. I hope Adele's OK.

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.

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.

I waited some days to review this title after seeing this film. This movie triggered me thinking about love and life and I waited to give it my neutral review. I am watching movies since the latest 30 years and I have to say ; This movie is special !! After 30 years of seeing all kind of movies I have narrowed my scope of movies to see. They have to be special, show me something different, give me ideas to think about or to evaluate in my own life. So, movies like World war Z is not directly my style. This movie although is one of the best love stories I have seen. No unnecessary emotional or cuteness parts, each part of the story is real and genius. It is the soft moments of a love story, the hard moments bringing to the screen. The movie is made in away you are in the skin of Adele and Emma ( can't remember the actress names ). They take you with them in their love story, their feelings. That is also the reason that the 3 hours of the movie is not too long at all. I was surprised it took 3 hours when the film ended. The movie handles the passion between them, a passion that many of us forget over the years in a relation. That passion is also expressed in about 3 sex scenes, 3 scenes which are quiet honest and direct. Some people will find these scenes too long ( one of them could take 10 minutes ), but I find it necessary to establish your follow up of the passion they have between each other, so that when things goes worse you also are one with the situation.

This movie, natural, honest about love, life and sexuality could be attended by children of 12 and more, if they are explained things of life ( they also can see all kind of war movies … ). Many will say "Oh, lesbian movie, what the hell you are". This is a movie for all of us, independent of your orientation being gay, hetero, bisexual, … It is a Love story.

Each feeling, being angry / disappointment / sad / etc …, can be seen on the faces of Adele and Emma and by this I have to say that these actresses are just superb, in fact I don't know another word to say extraordinary acting. It has certainly been very difficult for them to make this film. The director : Bravo to him.

There are some scenes which are just fantastic : The first meeting between them, the encounter between them in the lesbian bar in which Adele is in a strange world as adolescent. The tree scene, where they actually get in love both of them. The level of a good love story with all it's feelings and situations has been raised to a higher one. Who can ever do this better.

And the last remark. The film treats the love story, it's personal problems, the passion, but does not handle the problems which can have their family or friends, not in detail.

And now, go and watch it !

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.