Review of Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013) by Prodigy2013 — 15 Dec 2013

Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder people say. Some may call this erotic French drama; art, others may say it’s pornographic; some may callll its premise an insightful study, others may say it’s a shallow excuse for graphic sex scenes.

If you ask me, Blue is the Warmest Colour, like most works of art, is a bit indulgent; but it felt perfect! This was somewhat of a coming-of-age film about a teenage girl named Adele, and the tremendous changes her life incurs after she falls for an artsy, blue haired college woman named Emma.

Adèle Exarchopoulos, who (conveniently) stars as Adele, gives a breakout performance. Her odyssey of sexual awakening and emotional maturity; as she comes to understand herself and the complexities of love was a committed performance.

The character’s growth takes years; with the film spanning her awkward teenage years all the way through to young adulthood. Exarchopoulos stands firmly, holding our attention for the entire time. Both her and her equally fabulous co-star, Léa Seydoux (as Emma), showed a great deal of bravery in their roles.

My hat goes off to them. The final part of this trio was Abdellatif Kechiche, who obviously directed the hell out this movie and its stars. The way his camera stalks and zooms in on Adele at even her most intimate moments could almost be considered predatory.

Also the detail he gives to those controversial sex scenes may have been excessive. In the end, it was all in the name of getting this character study across in the most meticulous way possible; and I must commend him for that.

With so much commitment and hard work on all the corners of this film, it’s no surprise how persuasive Adele and Emma romance was. I was taken aback by it, and captivated for the film’s entire three hour run time.

Blue is the Warmest Colour was a keen study that was thoroughly moving. Beauty was certainly in the eyes of this beholder.