This is rightly one of the most talked about films of the year, but sometimes for the wrong reasons. Whether the film benefits or not from all the attention being paid to the graphic sex scenes, I don't know, but if you let that stop you from seeing the film you'll be missing one of the most honest and gut-wrenching portrayals of first love ever filmed.
I saw this film in New York City with a dear friend back in November, and we couldn't stop talking about it until she had to catch her flight to Washington the next day. We kept talking about Adele as if she was a real person, hoping the best for her in life. This is the real power of the film, drawing you in to the life of Adele.
Lea Seydoux and Adele Excharpoulos bring an almost divine abandon and fatalism to their performances as the two romantic leads. I think audiences have tended to sentimentalize the relationship between Emma and Adele and put it on a pedestal, but the director makes clear that this is not his viewpoint. It's a very passionate and physical relationship, but there isn't much more to hold it together. This seems to be the point that the director is making with the very graphic and extended sex scenes. Sex nourishes the ravenous Adele, but Emma has more intellectual needs. Thus, beyond the physicality of their relationship, it is not a marriage of equals. A key scene at a party they are hosting underscores the imbalance in their relationship. Watching Adele, who seems content to serve the guests while Emma mingles, I wondered if Adele would be doomed if she stays in this relationship.
The film keeps getting more interesting after this point as it explores Adele's growth as a person. An image that came to my mind during the film is that of a mother bird pushing her fledgling out of the nest. You might know which scene I'm thinking about. After the film's end, during the credits (no spoiler here) we learn that this film was originally titled, "The Life of Adele, Chapters 1 and 2," which is a more mundane title than "Blue Is The Warmest Color," but very revealing in that it explains the themes of the film more accurately. "Blue" puts the focus on the relationship between Adele and Emma, but the story is really about a girl who is just finding herself in the world.
There is so much beautiful imagery in the film. The blue motif, if obvious, is conveyed with the most exquisite touches. For example, there is the now iconic scene where Adele is floating in the water, drowning in a halo of blue. It's an incredibly powerful scene that expresses so much with no words. This film is worth watching over again just to take in the beautiful cinematography. Meanwhile Adele Exarchopoulos, with her pouty lips, appealing overbite, and tangle of unruly hair, is one of the most naturally charismatic and alluring screen presences I've seen in awhile.
And kudos to the director for not stepping back from the NC-17 rating. Artistically, it was the right decision. If you can get past the sex, you might find that this is the best film of 2013.
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