Desire

Wow, other reviewers see this as pornography. Take another look. It's about connection and disconnection in French society, in which sex and discussions about sex are used as a central vehicle for showing relations between men and women in French society (or at least younger ones). Note that the director never shows anything above the waist of the nude women in the shower chattering away about sex and men. Note that all the characters are missing each other needs and hence at odds and frustrated. Note the scene in the plaza where everyone is self-absorbed. Note that the author starts the movie with a message that he still believes love is possible.

Where the movie fails most is not in its failure to do more than vaguely allude to the background situation - unemployment and a shipyard strike. Why those are even there is never clarified. Rather, it was the director's inability to bring the story to completion without implanting an implausibly happy ending that left me wondering what was the point of it all. If French social relations are pretty much the same as they were 25 years ago, then the director's gotten quite a bit right. Unfortunately, he didn't know where to go with it. That's why, in spite of the good acting (for the most part), I gave it only six stars.

Director Laurent Bouhnik had an interesting idea, but it didn't translate well on screen. I consider almost every aspect of this film a very rough draft.

1. Character development is almost non-existent. 2. The narrative is choppy and many scenes are unnecessary. 3. The plot lacks direction. 4. The acting is okay at best. 5. None of the characters are particularly likable.

Bottom Line: I've read several reviews that praise this film for it's success in it's depiction of eroticism, however, Bouhnik's overly-heavy focus on sex and erotic behavior doesn't leave enough room for the characters or the story to develop properly. I will admit that there are several (individual) scenes that are strong--diamonds in the rough, if you will--but when the film was over, I had taken nothing from it, felt nothing during it, and was generally uninterested in the story and the characters.

But a very effective movie. I had no idea watching this, that it would have graphic nudity in it. Nor that it would also include actual penetration (oral sex and more). But that is not the reason I was positively surprised by this movie. The performances did it. And the fact, that the woman actually feel real in this one. They have their problems and desires and feel like well thought persons, which unfortunately even in "normal" movies is not always the case.

If you don't have a problem with the sexual and erotic nature of the movie, you will watch a drama that is very well made. Interestingly enough by a man, who obviously wanted to break with some conventions and clichés. But remember, this is more an drama that is erotic/sexual, than erotic with some added drama!

I really liked this film. It was shot in lovely locations in the French countryside, on the beach-front and in little town cafés, and it featured a host of beautiful actors and actresses (many of them non-professional). Yes there is a lot of explicit (non-simulated) sex and nudity throughout but for a film which is about exploring the central role of sexuality in our modern lives it makes sense and I didn't find it either offensive or pornographic. Though very sexually explicit the scenes were tasteful and beautifully shot. It was also quite a funny film. You could definitely watch this with your girlfriend or boyfriend.

I wish all countries could treat sexuality in a matter-of-fact way like this as the French do.

This movie is very daring because showing many unsimulated sex scenes, what is not frequent in mainstream movies. Some young actors are good and promising. The first one is Deborah Révy who plays the leading role. Even if her character is not very credible (a girl obsessed by sex and greedy to make love with many people, just because her father died recently), she plays it well, with a provocative and natural attitude. She's pretty convincing even if the storyboard is rather awkward.

Hélène Zimmer who plays, on the opposite, a shy girl frightened to make love with her boyfriend for the first time, is touching and very convincing too.

In that kind of movie showing explicitly physical love, I preferred "9 songs" by far, because in "Q", one has often the feeling that the explicit sex scenes are shown for themselves and don't really serve the story. so, watching the movie, one have an embarrassing feeling to be a voyeur.

that's pity, it could have been far better. But I enjoyed it anyway.