Blue is the Warmest Color
(A- or 3.5/4 stars)
Sometimes, controversy can help a film by raising awareness of it. Such is the case with 'Blue is the Warmest Color' (directed by Abdellatif Kechiche) a powerful, visceral, NC-17 rated film that centers on a young lesbian couple's beginning, middle & possible end. The controversy? After the Cannes Film Festival - where the director & his 2 lead actresses won the coveted Palme d'Or - actress Lea Seydoux lashed out at the director for his exhausting filmmaking methods. Kechiche made the actresses do particular scenes near 100 times to get it right -- even some of their explicit sex scenes. And the fact that the other actress, Adele Exarchopoulos was 18 yrs. old at the time holds interest, as well. More on the sex later. The film is too good to let controversy dominate the headlines.
The story begins when Adele (Exarchopoulos) is a high school junior. A virgin & not very popular, Adele's friends feel that a dalliance with fellow student Thomas could raise her school 'status'. She likes Thomas enough, but finds sex with him unsatisfying. One day on the street, Adele experiences 'love at 1st sight' with a blue-haired passerby - she is Emma (Lea Seydoux). Adele's friend, Valentin, takes her to a gay bar where she finally catches Emma's eye. Valentin also rescues her from a cruel inquisition by her female peers. This inquisition is important because we see early dramatic focus & feel the intense confusion/heartbreak that is Adele's crisis of sexual identity. It's also interesting to note that gay males look to be more accepted (in schools) than deemed 'repellent' lesbians.
Before long, the two strike up a friendship. Director Kechiche captures their beautifully intimate moments when the rest of the world doesn't seem to be watching. They discuss life, philosophy, food, etc.. Out-&-proud Emma (6-7 years older than the tentative teen) then gives Adele a lesson in gentle sexual education. Their sex scenes are long, in-your-face, but not insensitive. This film's emotional intimacy is one of its strongest assets: Kechiche uses close-ups & long takes that afford us (the viewers) the almost feeling of being as close as Adele & Emma as they are to each other. We spill into their eyes & souls, just as they are to each other.
After that blissful opening hour of discovery, the movie's midsection chronicles them living together, establishing careers, & other happenstances. Adele still prefers to keep her homosexuality hidden from her parents, while Emma thrives in her liberating existence. This section of the story is episodic, fairly mundane, yet no less compelling. The most consistent element of Kechiche's direction is his fascination with Exarchopoulos' face, which is both subtly & wildly expressive. Kechiche then explores the complications that Adele faces during this lesbian relationship. We start to witness fundamental differences btwn. the 2 women. They come from different backgrounds & have different mindsets/goals in life. They encounter problems that occur in any long-term relationship. During the last hour of the film, Adele makes a crucial mistake. And this fragile, still immature young woman learns that apologies aren't always accepted.
You know, Adele is confused/lost at the beginning of this movie, and still confused/lost several years later in the final moments. She is forced to grow up & realize that sometimes ... two people, no matter how much they love each other, simply aren't compatible after a while. Throughout the film, Adele only experiences clarity while in the throes of passion with Emma. They devour each other (nearly-literally, viscerally) during lengthy lovemaking scenes. Now, while my interest was piqued during these scenes, some of them are excessive; a little peek-a-boo nudity can go a loooong way. Having said that, it is clearly important to the director that he present the totality of Adele & Emma's life together. And so, in that respect, I understand WHY the scenes exist. Love is an extreme emotion.
The graphic sex stirs memorable images in my mind. Yet, I'm also reminded of striking imageries. As mentioned, the director uses close-ups of the characters faces with great purpose. We experience their every emotion. And as the title suggests, blue is an integral visual motif. Blue is a beautiful color, but it also can signify sadness. Blue also signifies 'cold', and yet, in this film, it more often than not signifies 'warmth'. Emma has crystal blue eyes. She also wears chipped blue nail polish. Plenty of props are blue. Much of the clothing that the characters wear have blue in them, as well.
As Emma, Lea Seydoux is tough, a bit arrogant, yet still exudes an underlying vulnerability. Depending on how you view these 2 female characters, you could make out Emma to be the villain in their complicated romance. But villain or not, it's a stellar performance of nuance & specific personality. As for Adele Exarchopoulos, well, she is absolutely mesmerizing. Though we see her naked a lot, it is her emotional nakedness that is more powerful than any part of her body. Hers is one of those rare natural performances that completely, yet effortlessly dominate a movie from beginning to end. Due to the director's camera being close to her face at all times, we see/feel every emotion (fear, embarrassment, joy, sadness, thrill, emptiness). Her performance is a revelation; and I don't use that word too often.
Now, while 'Blue is the Warmest Color' provides an undeniably powerful cinematic experience, it is not without flaws. The movie requires patience. The narrative develops at a leisurely pace during the course of the 179 minute running time. I believe that the film could have been a good 30 minutes shorter & I definitely squirmed in my seat, at times. But the vividness of the characters & our investment in them makes it all worthwhile. Watching 'Blue ...' provides us viewers something rare: the ability to lose ourselves in the life of someone else for 3 hours & to walk out of the theater having felt something. Every moment - whether they are mundane or operatic - feels bracingly real. Whether you look at this film as an explicit lesbian drama, a rich character study, or a gut-wrenching coming of age tale ... 'Blue is the Warmest Color' is one of the more memorable films of the year. It will be discussed in-depth for decades to come.
The story begins when Adele (Exarchopoulos) is a high school junior. A virgin & not very popular, Adele's friends feel that a dalliance with fellow student Thomas could raise her school 'status'. She likes Thomas enough, but finds sex with him unsatisfying. One day on the street, Adele experiences 'love at 1st sight' with a blue-haired passerby - she is Emma (Lea Seydoux). Adele's friend, Valentin, takes her to a gay bar where she finally catches Emma's eye. Valentin also rescues her from a cruel inquisition by her female peers. This inquisition is important because we see early dramatic focus & feel the intense confusion/heartbreak that is Adele's crisis of sexual identity. It's also interesting to note that gay males look to be more accepted (in schools) than deemed 'repellent' lesbians.
Before long, the two strike up a friendship. Director Kechiche captures their beautifully intimate moments when the rest of the world doesn't seem to be watching. They discuss life, philosophy, food, etc.. Out-&-proud Emma (6-7 years older than the tentative teen) then gives Adele a lesson in gentle sexual education. Their sex scenes are long, in-your-face, but not insensitive. This film's emotional intimacy is one of its strongest assets: Kechiche uses close-ups & long takes that afford us (the viewers) the almost feeling of being as close as Adele & Emma as they are to each other. We spill into their eyes & souls, just as they are to each other.
After that blissful opening hour of discovery, the movie's midsection chronicles them living together, establishing careers, & other happenstances. Adele still prefers to keep her homosexuality hidden from her parents, while Emma thrives in her liberating existence. This section of the story is episodic, fairly mundane, yet no less compelling. The most consistent element of Kechiche's direction is his fascination with Exarchopoulos' face, which is both subtly & wildly expressive. Kechiche then explores the complications that Adele faces during this lesbian relationship. We start to witness fundamental differences btwn. the 2 women. They come from different backgrounds & have different mindsets/goals in life. They encounter problems that occur in any long-term relationship. During the last hour of the film, Adele makes a crucial mistake. And this fragile, still immature young woman learns that apologies aren't always accepted.
You know, Adele is confused/lost at the beginning of this movie, and still confused/lost several years later in the final moments. She is forced to grow up & realize that sometimes ... two people, no matter how much they love each other, simply aren't compatible after a while. Throughout the film, Adele only experiences clarity while in the throes of passion with Emma. They devour each other (nearly-literally, viscerally) during lengthy lovemaking scenes. Now, while my interest was piqued during these scenes, some of them are excessive; a little peek-a-boo nudity can go a loooong way. Having said that, it is clearly important to the director that he present the totality of Adele & Emma's life together. And so, in that respect, I understand WHY the scenes exist. Love is an extreme emotion.
The graphic sex stirs memorable images in my mind. Yet, I'm also reminded of striking imageries. As mentioned, the director uses close-ups of the characters faces with great purpose. We experience their every emotion. And as the title suggests, blue is an integral visual motif. Blue is a beautiful color, but it also can signify sadness. Blue also signifies 'cold', and yet, in this film, it more often than not signifies 'warmth'. Emma has crystal blue eyes. She also wears chipped blue nail polish. Plenty of props are blue. Much of the clothing that the characters wear have blue in them, as well.
As Emma, Lea Seydoux is tough, a bit arrogant, yet still exudes an underlying vulnerability. Depending on how you view these 2 female characters, you could make out Emma to be the villain in their complicated romance. But villain or not, it's a stellar performance of nuance & specific personality. As for Adele Exarchopoulos, well, she is absolutely mesmerizing. Though we see her naked a lot, it is her emotional nakedness that is more powerful than any part of her body. Hers is one of those rare natural performances that completely, yet effortlessly dominate a movie from beginning to end. Due to the director's camera being close to her face at all times, we see/feel every emotion (fear, embarrassment, joy, sadness, thrill, emptiness). Her performance is a revelation; and I don't use that word too often.
Now, while 'Blue is the Warmest Color' provides an undeniably powerful cinematic experience, it is not without flaws. The movie requires patience. The narrative develops at a leisurely pace during the course of the 179 minute running time. I believe that the film could have been a good 30 minutes shorter & I definitely squirmed in my seat, at times. But the vividness of the characters & our investment in them makes it all worthwhile. Watching 'Blue ...' provides us viewers something rare: the ability to lose ourselves in the life of someone else for 3 hours & to walk out of the theater having felt something. Every moment - whether they are mundane or operatic - feels bracingly real. Whether you look at this film as an explicit lesbian drama, a rich character study, or a gut-wrenching coming of age tale ... 'Blue is the Warmest Color' is one of the more memorable films of the year. It will be discussed in-depth for decades to come.