Review of Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013) by Shoaib-Rahaman — 17 Nov 2020

First of all, it's a 3-hour movie! And I must say it was worth watching. This is a Heavy French drama with explicit sex, mature themes don't even require to say "17+". It has very explicit sex with full nudity and graphic depictions of sex acts, mostly between two women, but one with a man also briefly shows an erect penis. As Adele falls for Emma, she encounters some homophobia at school, and it's not clear she's ever honest with her parents about their relationship. Aside from the sexual content, the appeal to teens is likely limited. The movie spends a lot of time on philosophical discussions, at first in the classroom and then among adult friends, using conversational dialogue to explore a host of issues that confront Adele as she learns who she is, and it does so for a solid three hours. Teens and adults often drink beer and wine with meals; excess is rarely shown. Lots of people smoke frequently, including the two main protagonists. Expect lots of profanity, with "f--k," "s--t," and variations used frequently.

Director Abdellatif Kechiche gets amazing performances out of two young actresses and gives the viewer a lot to think about. The explicit sex certainly grabs the attention, but Blue Is the Warmest Color offers the adult viewer a great deal more to ponder. Teens, though, are unlikely to have the patience to sit through three hours of extended literature- and philosophy-class discussions or the equally extensive adult conversations along the same lines.

The title in French includes (in translation) "Chapters 1 and 2," suggesting there may be more chapters to come, which makes the excessive length less understandable. The lack of an ending, though, is much more understandable, if not less frustrating, once you know you've only seen the beginning of Adele's life.