The Party

Like many, I recall watching this film as a teenager in French class at a US high school. At that time, the appealing qualities for me were the "kids just trying to have fun" elements: the discotech dance parties, and the effusive French culture which at the time (anyone still remember the Cold War?) showed the affinity of the western world states for their different social values.

I just watched the film again, with Chinese subtitles no less, and was really struck by the fact that much of the story resounds with parents. The scene of the parents huddling around the pay phone, each not wanting to be the one to embarrass their child by showing up first is great. The line, "Je Montre!", is just the feeling of charging into the breach of the unknown that a real parent with a 13 year-old daughter should expect.

I was also struck by how out of place the "cross-culture" elements appear today. The scene socializing a MacDonalds, the "fait un American" dance, the UCLA sweatshirt... I doubt they have much place in today's climate of "freedome fries" and "economic techno-goober globalization". You can watch this film thinking "Vic/Mathew is dreamy", "Boum = fun", but I suggest after you're done, rewind the tape and watch it again looking for the second layer of social observation that abound. Ask yourself whether you will ever see this generation of kids sitting at home on the floor talking on the phone (why bother when then all have cell phones), or even going to a real live Boum (when there are "no consequences" chat rooms, video games, 100+ channels of cable TV, and so much "don't get left behind in the global rat race" anxiety).

I saw this movie when I was 15 and instantly developed a crush on Sophie Marceau. But seeing it again as an adult wasn't quite the experience it had been. It's sweet and lovely and teen-age painful, establishing the tone if not the actual plot for 80s John Hughes movies - it's a bit deeper than and not as wacky as "Sixteen Candles" and Marceau has a bit better screen presence than Molly Ringwald.

I was disappointed that it wasn't as wonderful the second time around (I've become jaded) but it was still entertaining.

This is the film that launched the film career of Sophie Marceau. The 14 year old star goes through the "growing pains" as an only child of successful professionals. The age where kids are granted to have a "boom" (party) without parent supervision has arrived at last! Nervous fathers are sitting in parked cars, uncertain whether to "see what's going on" in the apartment where the teenagers are celebrating their independence.

This film is not just a series of laughs, but it seriously handles issues such as sibling rivalry, divorce and other situations relevant to adolescents. There are isolated scenes with crude double-meaning, crassly unsuitable for children. Viewing by pre-teens should be at parent's discretion! Otherwise, this is a thoroughly enjoyable "feel good movie".

The love theme "Reality" by Richard Sanderson, a #1 World Hit at the time, is a beautiful song popping up throughout the story, adding to the magic. Lots of European "flavor" make this a great film to enjoy. Capitalizing on the huge success of this 1980 instant-classic is the 1982 sequel, the much weaker "La Boum 2". Enjoy "La Boum" and forget about the sequel

"La Boum", while not being a complicated or serious movie, does have its good points. Sophie Marceau as Vic acts out quite well how Vic reacts to her parents' crumbling marriage and her excitement over developing her relationship with her new boyfriend, Mathieu. There are practical jokes throughout the movie, and also a lot of teenage angst drama. This is basically a movie to watch when you want to be entertained instead of watching a serious movie.

We watched this movie in my french class with English subtitles. It's hysterical, we couldn't stop laughing, a must see for the 80's french enthusiast! With great characters, odd themes, and the funniest one-liners ever, this is a can't miss, even 20 years after it came out!