Written & Directed By: Gaspar Noe
Cinematography By: Benoit Debie
Editor: Dennis Bedlow & Gaspar Noe
Cast: Aomi Muyock, Karl Glusman, Klara Kristin, Ugo Fox, Gaspar Noe, Juan Saavvedra, Isabelle Nicou
Murphy is an American living in Paris who enters a highly sexually and emotionally charged relationship with the unstable Electra. Unaware of the effect it will have on their relationship, they invite their pretty neighbor into their bed.
This is not the Judd Apatow produced series of the same name.
The 10th best film of 2015 according to director John Waters in Artforum.
The opening scene is like an art piece that is a showcase and kind of a warning of what is to come for the audience. So if this is too much for you. It's time to leave. Only while the film has screens like that, like most films of this type that push the button. Most of the film is more about story that leads us to those other provocative scenes. That makes the film come off as an extreme well shot melodramatic.
Here it seems intended for the audience to come for one, but experience partially more the banalities and lead up to the more erotic scenes.
Like a dramatic adult film with hardcore sex scenes like adult films of the 1970's and some made today a more niche market that has more emphasis on characters and story with solid acting and better production. As well as more believable stories or films like these that are more free to explore relationships, In all aspects. The way the film is presented, especially it's characters they aren't necessarily all that interesting or charismatic. Just young and in shape which is why it feels like they are constantly framed to more represent snapshots and portraits on display and offering intimacy, but from a certain distance Though there is only About 12 minutes of the 135 minute-run time of the film feature sex scenes.
The fragmented storytelling helps fill us in on some aspects while leaving others a mystery we can't wait to get to the bottom of.
Director Gasper Noe of course seems like he in trying to push the envelope with a certain extreme again but this actually seems like one of his more deeper projects and that provocative is just part of the ways a he goes about things to keep it interesting to him He seeks to take risks on each project. To challenge himself. Just as this seems to be an attempt to be a more mature filmmaker.
I believe this is his version of a love story not necessarily romantic to the audience, but to him. One filled with problems and baggage, but at certain moments perfect as usually when we think back it is only the good. Here he remembers he good as we witness the bad and troubling parts as it is brought up to him and he finally starts to acknowledge them. Though again as sensitive as he tries to portray the story it still comes off as misogynistic and not a full complete male fantasy but close enough.
The action which it doesn't lack (real intercourse) though unlike a porno the scenes are not as long or feel endless taken from various angles.
Gasper Noe is a strong filmmaker which is what saves the film ultimately. As in other hands who knows what this would have been in his it seems almost expected and not abnormal. It's mainly because of his skills and presentation that keeps the film interesting and engaging to a degree. Luckily staying away from tawdry and strictly erotic.
I believe this is his version of a love story not necessarily romantic to the audience, but to him. One filled with problems and baggage, but at certain moments perfect as usually when we think back it is only the good. Here he remembers he good as we witness the bad and troubling parts as it is brought up to him and he finally starts to acknowledge them. Though again as sensitive as he tries to portray the story it still comes off as misogynistic and not a full complete male fantasy but close enough.
As even though the characters are young. This feels like a midlife crisis movie as we are constantly looking back. Here to the love affair Before you get settled down. The one who got away and how it leads to the one you end up with.
The film seems to lack a certain energy that makes it feel like it's lewd in a stilted air that is at a high altitude or rather then. That is unpredictable get always full of color as the scenes seem to be palettes in themselves that are peppered with action and reactions that we recognize as drama.
So that the sex scenes feel more like a charging of the batteries of the relationship as they can be in some relationships to scare or remind one another of what keeps them together. What they share, until children come around.
The pain and violence throughout this film is more emotional then anything as the camera follows the characters from behind so we more follow or are dragged around as witnesses.
The film seems to try to show how some equate sex with love. When it's true they seem to be more in equal measure. Like a secret ingredient that does the trick. they have inside of them even though you might know or experienced and seen them. There is something about them they you still crave and need them around like a drug.
It's the potion that inspires the magic that some call love. Where as usually it is chalked up to lust. Like a new drug we constantly want to be stimulated and be on a high of sorts and are convinced there is bigger and better. As we will never have it again or the same with our current partner.
This could easily be seen as an intentional international porno with a plot that involves a lot of graphic but short sex scenes that half of them seem real as they seem to involve penetration quite often. As the film is almost a sexual odyssey. More than in Gaspar Noe's last film. ENTER THE VOID, Always pushing the envelope. The extreme reminds me of the film BAISE-MOI. Only more from a male point of view and less violent.
A certain depth is learned and had all those one of a kind experiences with one another. Before somehow messing it all up.
We do see the initial meeting that sets up the intense and messy relationship.
Pornography doesn't try to delve or deviate from what it is. This film uses it as a starting point to explore relationships.
The film uses familiar erotic and pornographic images, actions in the scenes. Not only to titillate but also to show connection and intimacy as a form of bonding.
Just as a typical romantic film would show dates or time spent doing activities and hobbies together. Similar in that they do them in a couple and helps keep them Close plus attraction of energy just different presentation though with couple more private all are open to join.
We also understand his reasons of guilt as well as the different levels. How he started Her on the wrong path and only encouraged her downfall with questionable dangerous behavior, Of course the trippy scenes with soundscapes and spirituality are here also but luckily don't abound.Though the film does give us an awful lot of Sentimental sexuality. As you can see how the director makes the film personal by including aspects of him, his life and history into the story. His intention was to always stated that this film would be a love story seen from a sexual point of view. With real emotional sex.
Almost like an ugly American who seems to never have enough as all the good things are never enough or valuable enough to honor and keep sacred. Instead deviating and staying selfish and only later senses any guilt especially over her downfall itself.
Though will admit Aomi Muyock is captivating and seductive. Who manages to give off an innocence despite what we see her do physically. Maybe they both see the sex as an escape and the emotional moments as their bond and real connections. --Only lead Karl Glusman was an actor when filming began. Actresses Aomi Muyock and Klara Kristin were not and Gaspar Noé found them accidentally while out partying. He said he would constantly do this, meet beautiful young people and ask them if they wanted to be in the movies but in supporting roles (even though he was testing them for lead roles but he did not want them to get excited and then disappointed). If they showed interest, he would pull out his mobile phone camera and film them to see if they were photogenic and if yes, he would finally have them test with lead Karl Glusman to finalize them for the project.
3D is used in sex scenes rarely or you can tell which shots are used specifically to enhance the technology. It seems to be used only twice though sometimes towards the third act it all starts to feel excessive as it becomes understated to set certain things as far as mood or thoughts, but also feels there rather then discussion again more a battery it fuel to energize the film. Again as it is going in a circle or keeps digging itself deeper though unnecessary as it over explains when we in the audience get the gist. Just as it is heading home.
The film's two main characters' names have underlying meanings. Murphy's name connects to Murphy's law, which suggests that if anything can go wrong, it will. Murphy's law is actually shown during the film as a title card. Electra's name connects to Electra complex, a psychological concept proposed by Carl Jung, which defines a girl's psychosexual desire to possess her father. In one scene, Murphy and Electra talk about Electra's father and Murphy says, "Electra has a daddy complex."
Provocative avant garde because it wants to be not that it is necessary.
As the male lead is American. It's strange yet playable that all the French characters around him speak only clear yet accented English usually.
This film also seems to be Gaspar Noe's most closed off in film, that feels smaller and claustrophobic to a degree. I guess also the represent the fears, imprisonment And imprisonment felt by some of being in a relationship. Trapped, smothered, stuck
The film also posits that openings lead to trouble.
If anything watch the film for it's style of you can make it past the material.
Actor Karl Glusman about the shooting of the unsimulated sex scenes: "I was very uncomfortable at first. Each camera takes three technicians and a lot of the nude scenes we shoot two cameras at once, so that's a minimum of six people focusing on private parts...Pretty soon it felt very normal."
The director shot all the sex first (with a small crew), so as not to postpone anything that could be scary to the actors and affect the rest of the shooting schedule
Gaspar Noe has said that he did not direct the actors having sex or choreograph them. He said he just put them in their positions with respect to the camera and then say, "Okay, looks good, start the scene. Let's go." He added, "Once you put the people in the right positions it's okay. They know how to do it." like an erotic novel come to life that is big on description short on story and scenes. Part of the Presentation seems to be a heavy theme for this film. How we present ourselves, our sides of a story and what the truth might be. We remember things in certain ways that might not be truthful it a reliable source. I believe this film represents what most teenage boys of my generation thought of when they heard the term French art film or at least hoped for The film seems determined to provoke to a degree. We witness the private moments rather then the shallow ones unless you find the sex scenes shallow then you get both all over.
More experimental film which is what Noe puts his beliefs and skills into, He seems to like to begin with the most shocking or controversial shots then Have an ending image that is sweet and full of hope.
So that we know unfortunately the ending and all that they will go through. So when the end comes it is really the beginning.. Which ales it a tragedy that we knew from the beginning. Only now we know the full devastation when the characters are full of hope .
Like a relationship, the first time is extraordinary but don't know if it will hold up with subsequent viewings even as there is plenty to delve into, study and theorize about. Might not be as powerful when you know all the secrets.
Like therapy as they keep going back for a better understanding. The scenes are designed to cause reactions make you feel something
Though one wonders was the action scripted and choreographed or improv a little or both to get certain things filmed on screen.
The film was filmed in 3D, I saw a regular print. I wonder if the film was filmed entirely that way or more with a sense of humor all the non sex scenes filmed in 3D and the sex scenes filmed regular.
While open and not afraid to present things on her then a depth of emotions. The film seems to lack purity that seemed to work so well for BLUE IS THE WARMEST COLOR. Though also with that film while there is sex. It choose to focus on so many other things. Here it seems brought up by choice not necessity again to see what powers the main character to a degree. As that seems to be whet he remembers most.
Just like most young people this film feels self indulgent and more superficial as it seeks to be genuine or at least seem that way. As it comes off as trashy to a degree but doesn't realize it. As it tries to be simple and more clean cut.
As the actors are more unknown it allows the characters to be anyone we are watching, but the presence of stronger actors would have felt stronger and gotten us to care. As the actors now, they work as anonymous but other then is following them. It is a mystery why we should care as they look good, but are far from engaging most of the time.
Also the sex seems less passionate and more an act then anything. Even though it should be the most powerful and provocative as it's an intimacy supposedly share with a select few. That is the ultimate in opening up. Here it is the most focused but least emotional scenes here.
So more like a stunt in an action film. Which it is here as it is the only actions for the film.
Really this is the story of a love affair and betrayal. The exotic one, is the wild one. The blonde the more conventional. Who flirts with being wild but is really more straight laced so that the one who got away is a metaphor and representative of your youth and wild times. So as you chase after her and the memories you are also chasing that time period that was full of hope, mystery and possibility. Chasing your youth to forget your own present, Which doesn’t seem to be as magical a present as you had hoped
A love story told through sex (which was it's actual intention and actually done) as we never get the introduction or the how's and the why's of the main couple really until the end. Working with a backwards narrative. We seem to discover their Dating already into the relationship and romance. So that when we first come into the film we have a couple all set up and as the film goes along we discover another one. Which already intrigues us as it is a mystery and seems taboo.
As the film goes along we don’t really see too much romance and instead we see more of it's intimate details. Physically and more.
As always when it comes to the films of Gaspar Noe it is an experience and an event. I believe he wouldn't have it any other way
Grade: B+
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