Blue Is The Warmest Colour: A Review
Released: 2013
Starring: Lea Seydoux & Adele Exarchopoulos
Country: French
Blue is The Warmest Colour. A confusing title? Potentially. A confusing film? Potentially. Do not misinterpret my statements. This is not a negative opening comment.
The film is not a wholly complicated concept, despite the somewhat cryptic title. So what is it? It is firstly a beautiful portrayal of love between two individuals, taking us on a journey through how that love develops, blossoms and ultimately disintegrates. Secondly, it is a struggle through personal identity.
We begin with Adele (Adele Exarchopoulos). A voracious reader and high school student in France who it would appear is struggling to come to terms with her own sexuality, despite a rather graphic exploit with a fellow male student early on in the film. Be prepared. This is until she stumbles upon Emma (Lea Seydoux). A university art student with blue hair (Do you see where the title may come into play now?).
As Adele and Emma grow together we see Adeles confidence and self belief grow. She achieves her desire to become a Primary School teacher. She accepts herself and everything is good. Emma is painting and on the verge of making it big in the art world. They are both happy and madly, ferociously in love. What a lovely and fulfilling end to the film.
No. This is not the end. The aspect of the film that is most appealing is the realism and gritty hard edge it has that rings so true to life. Although Emma built up Adeles confidence and this is inspiring the film does not shy away from the fact that life isn't all blue hair and butterflies and lollipops just because you are in love. There can be jealousy. There can be loneliness. There can be mistakes.
Throughout the film we follow Adele as the main protagonist. We sympathise and empathise with her struggles as she develops into a woman. However the film challenges these feelings as we see that it is Adele who brings about the disintegration of the relationship that has brought her so much. Yet it is still difficult not to feel her pain, her intensity and her utter agony. This is in no small part down to Adele Exarchopoulos' incredibly moving and emotionally stripped bare performance which is mirrored by Lea Seydoux's equally outstanding performance as the betrayed Emma.
So do they then go on and find true love elsewhere and all ends happily, as we may expect? Again no. They meet again some time later. This scene is incredibly emotionally charged and it becomes very clear that there is a tenderness between the two that is almost a tangible connection. However the film does not give in here and end with them getting back together and it all being happy. We get closure, but not the ending we may expect. And for that I salute the director and writer Abdellatif Kechiche.
The film is a stunning and realistic story of one persons struggle to find contentment and decide on exactly what they want from life. Exquisitely told through beautiful acting (despite the almost pornographic sex scenes. If you are British, like me, be warned. You may need a lie down afterwards) and shot with a simple style that does not overbear the story or the acting, the story engulfs you and leaves you emotionally exhausted. Just as a film like this should.
So I will leave you to decide, was Blue the Warmest Colour
Released: 2013
Starring: Lea Seydoux & Adele Exarchopoulos
Country: French
Blue is The Warmest Colour. A confusing title? Potentially. A confusing film? Potentially. Do not misinterpret my statements. This is not a negative opening comment.
The film is not a wholly complicated concept, despite the somewhat cryptic title. So what is it? It is firstly a beautiful portrayal of love between two individuals, taking us on a journey through how that love develops, blossoms and ultimately disintegrates. Secondly, it is a struggle through personal identity.
We begin with Adele (Adele Exarchopoulos). A voracious reader and high school student in France who it would appear is struggling to come to terms with her own sexuality, despite a rather graphic exploit with a fellow male student early on in the film. Be prepared. This is until she stumbles upon Emma (Lea Seydoux). A university art student with blue hair (Do you see where the title may come into play now?).
As Adele and Emma grow together we see Adeles confidence and self belief grow. She achieves her desire to become a Primary School teacher. She accepts herself and everything is good. Emma is painting and on the verge of making it big in the art world. They are both happy and madly, ferociously in love. What a lovely and fulfilling end to the film.
No. This is not the end. The aspect of the film that is most appealing is the realism and gritty hard edge it has that rings so true to life. Although Emma built up Adeles confidence and this is inspiring the film does not shy away from the fact that life isn't all blue hair and butterflies and lollipops just because you are in love. There can be jealousy. There can be loneliness. There can be mistakes.
Throughout the film we follow Adele as the main protagonist. We sympathise and empathise with her struggles as she develops into a woman. However the film challenges these feelings as we see that it is Adele who brings about the disintegration of the relationship that has brought her so much. Yet it is still difficult not to feel her pain, her intensity and her utter agony. This is in no small part down to Adele Exarchopoulos' incredibly moving and emotionally stripped bare performance which is mirrored by Lea Seydoux's equally outstanding performance as the betrayed Emma.
So do they then go on and find true love elsewhere and all ends happily, as we may expect? Again no. They meet again some time later. This scene is incredibly emotionally charged and it becomes very clear that there is a tenderness between the two that is almost a tangible connection. However the film does not give in here and end with them getting back together and it all being happy. We get closure, but not the ending we may expect. And for that I salute the director and writer Abdellatif Kechiche.
The film is a stunning and realistic story of one persons struggle to find contentment and decide on exactly what they want from life. Exquisitely told through beautiful acting (despite the almost pornographic sex scenes. If you are British, like me, be warned. You may need a lie down afterwards) and shot with a simple style that does not overbear the story or the acting, the story engulfs you and leaves you emotionally exhausted. Just as a film like this should.
So I will leave you to decide, was Blue the Warmest Colour