Don't Forget You're Going to Die

Once in a while (and more often in summer, I'm afraid) a film arrives on TV that is so bad, so off-putting that I must fly to my keyboard to denounce it. Beauvois's is such a picture. The comment likening it to a French Trainspotting is apt, but it's more like Les Nuits fauves, because of the HIV-Positive status of the lead character. Then there is the homage to Rebel Without A Cause, and indeed all movies that have angry, self-destructive and UNINTERESTING heroes.

This man's short life is like a train-wreck. Failed art student, hopeless army volunteer, drug dabbler (why? we never see much reason for this behavior), finally for this bisexual there is an attempt at love with a stable woman whom he abandons at the first sign that it might work.

Chiara Mastroianni is photographed lovingly; her golden skin tone like a Renoir nude. She opens out the story, makes it sensual, vital instead of claustrophobically focussed on Beauvois's miserable urges. Roschdy Zem's talent goes unused, he's just there to demonstrate the use of certain drugs. Pity.