"Blue Is The Warmest Color" Film Review

     Now that I'm kind of back in the swing of things, I felt it would be appropriate to start off with a review. Since appearing at Sundance, Blue Is The Warmest Color has attracted movie fans from all over to tell a touching yet gritty romance. I was first drawn to the film after hearing about it in Nylon magazine, and once I saw it on Netflix, I figured it was worth checking out. And truth be told, it did not disappoint. 

     Set in France, the story follows a high school girl named Adèle, who is desperate to fall in love and tries to accomplish this by sexually experimenting with a random guy she tries to convince herself that she likes. When their initial hookups leave her depressed and empty, she becomes a bit lost in thought and ends up taking notice of a girl with cropped blue hair on the street. When Adèle finds herself going to a gay bar with a friend, she meets up with this blue-haired girl, Emma, who is a budding artist and in her fourth year at college. Instantly drawn to each other, the girls embark on a rollercoaster of a relationship, discovering new things about themselves and trying to overcome troubles that arise. 

     I found it interesting how this movie earned an NC-17 rating when it has enough nudity to be branded with an "R" rating. But as people have frequently pointed out, the reason for this is probably due to how the protagonists are lesbians and not a heterosexual couple. Yes, the film is very graphic, but if a man and woman were having the sex that Adèle and Emma were having in the film, we probably wouldn't think much of it. Not to sound like I'm making a soapbox speech here, but it is weird how a gay couple in a movie automatically seems to warrant an "R" or NC-17 rating.

     The cinematography in this movie is top-notch, and takes special care in drawing into the symbolism. Even before Emma walks in, there is a touch of blue in almost every scene. Each shot is artistically crafted and lighted wonderfully. The acting is also superb, and the two leads have great chemistry. When you watch this film, you cannot help but feel drawn into their story, and are reluctant to let them go by the end. 

     Overall rating: 9/10