Blue Is the Warmest Color

What a surprise! There is only one word for this movie; EXCELLENT! The acting was beyond what I expected and the two main actress`s acted just as convincingly as Hillary Swank in "Boys do not Cry". This movie received the top prize at Cannes and I can easily see why. The script is excellent, the demeanor of the two main girls was convincing, the film moves at a medium pace and the visual effect was just perfect.. This movie has caused a lot of controversy in France because of the soft nudity. But the nudity goes hand in hand with two young girl homosexual lovers. Basically it is about the younger girl who cannot make up her mind if she is a clear homosexual or a Johnson rider. The movie is over 3 hours long but worth to watch. I did learn one thing about the film. if you can stand the stink then you have got it licked!

The last part was lovely...

This NC-17 emotionally charged love story is powerful. Every character was performed so naturally and convincingly that it is hard to tell whether Adele Exarchopoulos and Lea Seydoux are acting or actually in love. There are some very explicit, raw, lesbian sex scenes. I'm unfamiliar with Abdellatif Kechiche's earlier work, but it is nice to see lesbian passion daringly explored in its rawest, purest form. The screenplay is awesome, I love Abdell's very modern style of writing. I will definitely be checking out his other creations. The entire film felt so alive, the laughter, the tears, the dancing; so much emotion, it was refreshing. An Alfred Hitchcock quote comes to mind, "The length of a film should be directly related to the endurance of the human bladder." While this is true in a cinema house as this film clocked in at 2 hours and 55 minutes (which seems to actually be becoming the new standard in cinema), all three hours deserved to be screened.

10/10

Best love story I've seen in awhile.

__________________
UNCRITICALLY ACCLAIMED (A UNIQUE COLLECTION OF FILMS)
MY MOVIE RANKINGS

I really am confused about the amount of people who enjoyed this film a lot. I liked it, but I didn't find anything special about it. I REALLY enjoyed the first half of the film. I consider the turning point for me was at the 4 minutes of scissoring. All that I thought during and after that was "Do people actually do this?". And the second half (after the scissoring) I kept thinking about how overly passionate and unnecessary parts were.

First half : 8.5/10
Second half: 6/10

This looks like something I should love. Can't wait to see it.

It's a good movie. Realistic? Well, that depends, it's way more realistic than the romance of Hollywood movies such as Vertigo (which I found extremely artificial), but less realistic than the romance of movies such as In The Mood for Love.

So you're comparing a Hitchock thriller from the 50s, with a 2013 lesbian art house flick? That's like comparing a classic horror like Psycho with some new horror film, like for example Insidious.

I am comparing the way Hollywood movies represent love and the way this movie does. And I wouldn't consider this an arthouse movie, it's a traditional drama/romance movie mixed with pornography.

The movie has to be realistic in the world it creates. I found that this movie was trying to be like real life. And personally, I think it started out strong and true, but it slowly strayed away from that which bothered me a bit.

I also agree with you. The first half felt more realistic than the second half.

I've just watched 'Blue is the Warmest Colour' and thought it was excellent (9/10) in most respects, but not without controversy and an avoidable imperfection that has tended to taint people's view of the film as a whole. I'll try to explain my feelings without giving too much away about a great piece of cinema that I would recommend without hesitation.

I personally can't remember watching a movie where I felt such empathy with the central character since Krzysztof Kieslowski's Blue from his celebrated Three Colours Trilogy produced in 1993 and starring Juliette Binoche.

I think that this has a lot to do with the film's intimacy. It is achieved through the marvellous close-up camera work of the director, and his concentration on the central character, although that changes somewhat during the second half of the film, returning again towards the end.

Some of you here, and some other people I have talked to, seem to regard the first half of the film as better than the second. I tend to disagree, feeling that the change, and there is one, is necessary as the camera pulls back to encompass the social and cultural pressures that affect any relationship over time. It's worth considering too, that Blue is the Warmest Colour was originally to be billed as The Life of Adele; chapters 1 & 2.

There is a massive amount of depth to this film, and I have no doubt it will spawn thousands of essays in university film courses the world over, just, as I've already mentioned, on the social and-cultural issues that come between the two lead characters - something I'm hoping posters on here will pick up and run with.

Before mentioning the movie's, for me anyway, controversial imperfection, it's worth mentioning also that there has been a lot of bad press associated with the film due to the director's treatment of the cast and crew during production. I firmly believe that those are separate issues, and should have no bearing on any critique of the film as a piece of artwork.

Now back to the movie itself, and what I see as it's imperfection, which is partially linked to the above comment...

Some of the sex scenes in the film, but not all, could have, and I believe, certainly should have been softer, more sympathetic to the tone of the rest of the film. Instead they appear to be more a portrayal of a male fantasy of lesbian sex, and are so out of character with the rest of the film that it's almost uncomfortable to watch - because you know the director is unwittingly destroying what could have been an almost perfect film.

Whilst I hesitate to label any piece of art as pornographic, a majority of those I have discussed the issue with - especially women - lean towards this label. It is also worth mentioning that Julie Maroh - the female author of the original French graphic novel - criticized the director's view/portrayal of lesbian sex.

Having said that, if you haven't already, make sure you go and see it. Blue is the Warmest Colour didn't win all those awards for nothing - and I would love to hear your views on the film!

Massive amount of depth? Not really. The type of depth you identify within this film is the reflection of the society that made the film, such a reflection exists in most films and hence does not represent genuine depth.

No offence, but that is such a crock of s***!

Why don't you explain exactly what you mean by:

"The type of depth you identify within this film is the reflection of the society that made the film"

and: "such a reflection exists in most films and hence does not represent genuine depth."

And this time can we have a little more depth please.

__________________
"Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death" Auntie Mame (1958)

Blue is the warmest color at is best. Magnificent work by the director and of course the cast. The main subject is Adele and how it portrayed her life emotions, just by being her and her hunger for the world. Time is a special element in this film every shot takes its time to campture every gesture of the cast. Adele is so passionate and she achieves this by reading which caused her to be so successful in this movie hence every single shot makes you wonder what is on her mind, the way she eats just simply makes you want to eat, the way she just is makes you wonder how it would've been like to experience it yourself so overall her life was a book ready to be written till her death. She is what the movie is about of how she explores most things in her life and the best part of it is theres no drugs or tyranny involved. Theres no violence, and the tears are so powerful in this film. The sex is the least to talk about so im not even going to get into that. I give kudos to the director for not only making the film but by picking a wonderful act and having such imagination and coordination to make his film. Every glimpse was magical the kisses, the close ups, the analogies on the books, the hugs the dances, the music, the drinks, the setting, the emotions. ... if i could break down everything i noticed about this film i simply could not finish but im amazed that someone in this world would make a great movie that is such book material without even writing a book about it.

I rented this, but had plans, and the beginning looked like a bunch of girls giggling, and this movie is 3 hours long. I was actually going to take my movies back to the library as "High Noon" isn't playing well on my VHS.

I might watch it today, it's just a lot of time to devote. If anyone recommends it to me who knows a little about my taste (even just judging my Top 10), I will watch it.

__________________
https://www.youtube.com/c/LoyalOpposition

It's best movie i have even seen. Perfectly directed and perfectly acted. The most powerful. Unique. Revolutionary. Electrifying. Obsessive. It is an art film, for the soul, for the mind and for love. Perfectly simple. Perfectly complex. Perfect.
If the Americans would have made it, it woldnt have been so good, it would have deprive it of the art, poetry, obsession, sexuality, ineffable of a French movie. None of the actors/actresses (american or not) -none- would not have wanted, couldnt be able to, nor would not know how to surrender/immerse so much into the character. All known actors/actresses -besides these two actresses (especially Adele Exarchopoulos) - are careful to what they are showing, to how much they are revealing, to how they are looking on the stage/camera, to how they are shown in the film; all directors -besides this genius Abdellatif Kechiche-, are aware of what they mean and they rush into it. In this movie..the director and the two actresses, especially the two actresses, offers everything, they show everthing and anything..with a gentle, genial, organic-orgasmic, honest and obsessive genuineness/ unaffectedness.
The director is brilliant, obsessed, intense. The manner of shooting is smart, intuitive, primary, poetical. The obsessive and detailed shooting of the face, lips, eyes, hair, voluptuous forms, is impeccable and intelligently on purpose. He knew and felt how to extract the best of this movie and of the two actresses. There didnt use..: the script (read it once), soundtrack (scenes are created through breathing, dialogue, glances, moans), makeup or hairstyles (.. the actresses were naturally beautiful, beautifully natural), they didn’t use tricks, stereotypes.. nore backgrounds. They use obsessive, detailed, continuous, superb close-ups. Explicit, raw (in every sense), natural.
The director uses everything to make these two actresses to feel and understand everything ... to abandon/ know / experience all. And the actresses succeed .. with a sexy intelligence, a mature instinct and an overflowing, voluptuous and delicate innocence . The director uses ..including exhaustion/ fatigue (for the 7 minutes of sex in the movie, they shoot 10 days continuously; 100 takes for the scene where the two saw each other for the first time on the street..etc). He uses the perfect beauty of the two actresses..a pure but/and carnal beauty. He uses smiles, lips, glances, asses, hair, smoking, eating, moaning, dancing, sleeping, dialogues. And many more.
The sex scenes are impeccable. They have a logic/a neea to exist; without them we would not have perceived the entire feeling of the film/idea. we would not have understood/felt more/less/all. These scenes are perfectly acted and perfectly shot (abandonment, sexuality, despair, love, bodily perfection, gentleness, vulgarity .. in the best sense of the word).
Lea Seydoux plays excellent her role: the character Emma is smart, but cool/cold; Emma is more complex, more mature, more self-confident, but her love is much more simple / sexual / ephemeral. She is the "man". The actress and knows exactly how to give. Both actresses are playing with the naturalness and the discretion of De Niro, but totally abandons themselves into their role (we don’t see that in De Niro), as Pacino (but without Pacino`s desperate ostentation). The actresses play elegant, intelligent, natural and hidden, honest, offering everything. It is easier for Lea, because she has to play a character who does not feel as much as Adele feels. Paradoxically, although Emma is more self-confident, in her and her sexuality, Adele is (actually becomes) more sure of her feelings. Adele acts instinctively and brilliantly. Lea acts by building her character –this does not make her inferior, just different; maybe thts is one of the reasons why Adele attracts us more, because she has anxiety, has doubts, has questions, but she has a stronger love and despair is sexy, she has an animal instinct, a pure and perfect sexuality. Emma is dangerously cold and experienced, dangerously strong. Adele is dangerously vulnerable, her love is stronger.
Adèle Exarchopoulos is incredible. Incredibly beautiful: beauty that comes from the body, that does not seem “worked out” -although maybe it is-, it looks like she is naturally born like that, so harmoniously, so sexual, so voluptuous, so thin yet carnal, with sweet and perfect shapes; beauty that comes from her mind..her gaze/eyes..her personality..style..her everything. Incredibly talented/gifted: in Adele`s look/eyes –Adele the character- we can see -at the same time-..naively, lust, beautiful and innocent vulgarity, love, greed, abandonment, childlike intelligence, sexuality, timidity, nothingness, anything..and everything..and, everytime, ..we can see.. something else.. hidden unintentionally; something that looks like even the character of Adele (and maybe neither the actress Adele) does not know sometimes – the ineffable. She is timorous, curious, shy, childlike, inventive, inlove, desperate, naive, frightened, greedy, attentive, ambiguous, bold, emotive, direct, delicious, negligence, cute, courageous to love with everything she got - soul, mind, body - intense, generous, instinctive, sexy, sensual, free, innocent. All of these in the same time, or separate, filling the void/the scene with everything or with nothing, a nothingness and an everything so sexy and so well acted. The character is a sweet kid, cute, naive / innocent .. and with time / at the same time..she is a woman who discovers the perfect love, the perfect woman, the perfect orgasm, the perfect abandonment in sexuality. The way she looks (the stares in..nothingness are exceptional; the glances with lust, with confusion, with love, with modesty, orgasmic etc), the way she loves (totally..and in all ways), the way she smiles (sinuos and / or like a child and / or sincere and / or happy), the way she dances (to lose herself, to forget, to remember/reminisce, to hide, to revenge -so sexy and genuine), the way she makes love (inventive, intuitive, instinctively) ..everything is smart, organic, visceral, perfect. All of the above, she knows how to show them flawlessly, simply perfectly, with an intelingt acting, so sexy an so intense, so true, so credible, so obsessive/ haunting. Adele –the character- is less cultivated / educated than Emma, yet Adele's love is more intense and more complex; is a desperate love, she is abandoning herself, unlike Emma.
The film is great .. just because .. everything I wrote above .. is contradicted and at the same time confirmed; in this film are not clear labels, and the shades of gray within both characters are are contradictory and yet logical, are numerous and complex, are discreet and yet so intensely shown on display. A movie .. cruel and tender - without mercy and without shame. Meat and natural. Primate and human. It is a love story. It is about love. The homosexuality makes it more intense, interesting, forbiden, mystical. But the feeliong is love – pure, intense, distructive, creative. A standard that was not surpassed until now. Not by far. It's a benchmark movie, it’s a point of reference. An important movie. One of the important ones. Maybe the most important.
My favourite. A film which, if you see it in detail and as a whole, and as a feeling, and as..life, you realize how intelligent, intense, talented and perfectly these two ncredible women / actresses had played. It is an art movie. It is perfect. As simple as that. A movie for forever.

Never heard of it

Just watched it. It rates an "B+" with me. I agree on both of your points here. The second half was stronger as it focused on the disintegration of the relationship which to me how relationships last and endure is usually more interesting than how they form. The second half had some nice stuff going on and reminded me of Blue Valentine and Splendor in the Sun, which are both heart-wrecking movies.

And yes the sex scenes do seem out of step with the best the film has to offer. This is one of those cases where more could be said with what isn't shown.

__________________
"A candy colored clown!"
Member since Fall 2002
Top 100 Films, clicky below

http://www.movieforums.com/community...ad.php?t=26201

Finally got around to rewatching it again(as highly as I rated it its not easy viewing emotionally) and actually the whole thing felt like Kechiche was deliberately moving in a more Kieslowski like direction. I'v only seen Secret of the Grain of his previous work and that film seems like its going for more direct realism in terms of the visuals were as here I think he's following Kieslowski is utilising more poetic visuals, especially in the way close ups are filmed using an acclaimed cinematographer, lots of focus on angles and lighting to sell emotion.

What did stand out for me more as well was the clear shift between both halves of the film. I mean yes the passage of time is obvious when we jump to the scene with Adele modelling for Emma but the whole film to me seems to shift in the style at that point. The first half to me feels like its naturally a lot more physical/sensual, I mean most obviously it contains a lot of sex and hints towards it like Adele hiking her pants up constantly from the start but the closeups feel like there interested more on the physicality of peoples faces, it focuses a lot on mouths for example often picking out Adele's especially and showing a lot of eating. The second though seems like it shifts more towards the purely emotional, actually more akin to something like Three Colours Blue with closeups more focused on the eyes. The scene with Adele floating in the ocean especially feels like it could have some from that film or the Double Life of Veronique with a bit of a modern update.

I picked up more of the films politics this time and actually I would say they perhaps help to explain some of the controversy around it? I mean again most obviously the sex differs from what we see in films like Shame(that I don't recall getting criticism dispite being just as graphic) in that its not a marker for dysfunction, its actually erotic(and does I think naturally link into a lot of what I said about the first half of the film being sensual) and is show positively for the characters with the dysfunction coming from elsewhere in the story(although I think also shown by the sudden shift in focus between the two halves from the loving scene in bed to the more objectifying one of Adele posing nude). The expectation would I think be for this to be a film that features a homosexual relationship focusing on issues like overcoming homophobia but whilst they do feature I think there viewed more though the prism of the story actually being about class and personality. Emma's character to me seems like a representation of the modern liberal elite, highly cultured, very individualistic and ambitious, very turned on to issues concerning her in LGBT rights. I think you'd normally expect to see this story to be about her elevating and "saving" a character like Adele yet I'd say a lot of what causes the relationship to break down is actually the class issues between the two.

Adele naturally ends up as the junior partner in the relationship and we see a gradual loss of respect of her from Emma. Whilst she has career ambition its not in the artistic field Emma deems worthwhile and generally she seems less individualistic and more empathic/mothering enjoying working with young children. There also seems like a disconnect in terms of differences in class and how it relates to being openly homosexual. Emma seemingly coming from a more well off background has been openly lesbian since her teens and works in a field that's highly accepting of it. Adele on the other hand is coming from a very different working class enviroment, her friends claim not to have a problem with it but end up abusing her plus a family that seem like they might potentially have an issue with it. Her work environment as well as a teacher is whatever the legal situation one in which we do still see homophobia yet we don't really see the situation acknowledged much by Emma and again breeds a lack of respect that ends up pushing Adele away from her.

I would say its in the films favour though that it doesn't become overly preachy, doesn't show Adele as saint like or demonise Emma to push that message. Indeed shows some degree of a meeting of minds by the end as whilst the characters don't get back together it feels like Adele is at least better understood by her. In the end though in the gallery scene I think you see the barriers are still there and the ending becomes more Adele leaving on her own terms. it does all feel like its naturally driven by the characters and I'd agree its one of the most effecting dramas I'v ever seen.

Love this review here. I saw this film a few months ago and reviewed it here, https://letterboxd.com/smudgeefc1985...warmest-color/

I read somewhere that the Adele character originally had a different name but they changed it to the same name as the actress, because they took a lot of shots in between takes of her just sitting, eating, reading etc that built the character even further. Just if course the rest of the cast and crew were calling her by her real name and not the character.