Blue Is the Warmest Color

First off, let it be said that Adele Exarchopoulos delivers one of the breakout performances of the year in this shockingly beautiful, and sometimes just plain shocking, movie about a young woman discovering her sexuality. Exarchopoulos gives a performance that feels honest at every turn, with an incredibly expressive face that belongs on the big screen. Lea Seydoux (the assassin from the last Mission Impossible film) is also powerful as Emma, the blue-haired woman Adele sets her sights upon, and falls in love with. The two are wonderful together, providing real soul in a tremendously affecting love story. Director Abdellatif Kechiche overdoes it with what have to be the most explicit and overlong sex scenes every displayed on commercial movie screens. While I think the scenes are somewhat overdone, they don’t diminish the power of the film. I can tell you that having seen the film, I’m not surprised that the actresses are a little pissed at their director in the aftermath. The scenes are a bit much, and could stand a little trimming. Still, Exarchopoulos and Seydoux kept me riveted for nearly three hours, and that’s more than I can say for just about any Hollywood romance with the exception of Titanic.