PUPPYLOVE (2013)

Directed By: Delphine Lehericey 
Written By: Delphine Lehericey & Martin Coiffier 
Cinematography By: Sebastien Godefroy 
Editor: Ewin Ryckaert 



Cast: Vincent Perez, Solene Rigot, Audrey Bastien


At 14, Diane is an enigmatic teenager and a loner. She is busy bringing up her little brother, Marc, and has an intense relationship with her father, Christian. The appearance of Julia, a young charismatic and emancipated English girl, in her neighbourhood turns Diane's everyday life upside down. Diane, who wants to break the bounds of childhood at any price, goes through the most dramatic experiences of her life in the space of six months. The closer she is to Julia, the more she turns her back on morality, paying no attention to the consequences or the limits of her desires.

I can certainly say I wasn't expecting this film. What starts off as a provocative, but sweet tale of a girl coming of age and her sexuality. Quickly becomes sown thing graphic and rather uncomfortable.

The film sets up two subjects that makes the audience uneasy or gives off a creepy vibe. First is the main characters relationship with her father which is strong but also a few times borders on inappropriate. So that you keep wondering what exactly is going on there as she co Stanton and he to a degree constantly break boundaries. That seem rather vague. The other subject is female sexuality especially when it seems that they are hitting puberty.

The film offers plenty of graphic sex scenes. Where the main two girls are often involved with each other and a spare male. They can be seen as erotic, but the uncomfortable factor comes from the fact that the actresses who are obviously of age look so young and underage. It feels like we are peeping breaking the rules of their privacy. Especially as the main character of Diane always looks so uncomfortable in these scenes of any of physical intimacy.

Her new best friend Jane the rebellious one. Comes across as constantly unfeeling and only seems to care or be I to things when it is to her benefit. The friendship seems one sided as she constantly want a her friend to have sex, but when the guy is interested in her. She takes them away and keeps them all to herself. Yet then acts like she doesn't care and all she cares about is her. This will come up Later. Especially you trip where we know something is going to happen we only wonder when.

Once the last act does happen. The film seems to cross a line where you can't believe the actions and the emotional factor that everyone seems to avoid. So that the ending is totally understandable from a character standpoint only you want more a continuance at least.

The friendship from the beginning you can tell is tainted. We in the audience are that interested to see where it goes.

The ending is shocking more because it comes from nowhere and ends abruptly. Offering no answers and leaving you with so many questions and wonder where do we go now. Which can be seen as powerful and brave as it shows that like in life nothing can be explained nor solved in only a few minutes. As the problems of the characters run deep and were there before we or this film got there. We are just here now watching them act out. Though it also seems like lazy filmmaking. as the film brings us to a point then just pretty much ends offering us nothing like the filmmaker painted themselves into a corner and couldn't figure it out or were just plain lazy and thought they were being deep by giving us that ending.

Now the film gives off a incest vibe many times. So that when Julia seduces the father. It is a betrayal by both of them to her. Especially after earlier asking her father about her attractiveness and would she be willing to sleep with her. When the betrayal does come. It feels more like not only a rejection from her father. Making her in her fragile state already feel ugly, but also how her friend who says she cares so much. Be so heartless and evil. And hurt her so bad, when she has been nothing but loyal. So it is no wonder she seems to lose her mind. As she is distraught but made to feel like this is normal and Just a slight mistake an error in judgement.

The film reminds one of the movie THIRTEEN. Of course noticeable differences and outcomes. As at least here the girls are older, but still falling under the influence of a bad girl. Who seems to be the only person who understands her and who she has fun with. Especially as a tomboy she mostly hangs out with guys who barely give her attention and her male friend who obviously likes her. She uses him. More or less when she is interested or feeling lonely. So that when he moves on she is jealous. Though she is always moody and non-committal to him. Even as the film opens with her and him attempting to lose their virginities together.

The film is provocative and offers a view into a certain situation and slice of life that is very complicated and problematic. That at first seems normal and simple. The film is highly sexualized and has plenty of nudity. That is shot to be realistic but also leans towards erotic. Which is where i felt uncomfortable. If they were the real actresses ages. Then maybe it would have been fine, but watching this. It felt that the sex scenes took over more the emotional scenes. Especially when our lead is kind of bland when it comes to showing emotions or giving hints to what she is feeling. So that as the films goes along it comes off more as creepy. When you are expecting more a stark, but sweet coming of age tale with some roughage.

It's a cautionary tale with little payoff. That feels exploitive to a degree. Then again maybe it was just that it made me just feel uncomfortable.



Grade: C+