Rent Betty Blue (1986)

Wild and unpredictable, such is young love - Betty Blue review by CP Customer

Firstly I am surprised that there are no Reviews yet on Cinema Paradiso, which has a world cinema bias? So here goes.

The director makes the most of Beatrice Dalle from every angle, but for me she is sexy with her clothes on. And at her best showing the innocence of youth. Watch out for a later scene, when she is happy with her news. Seeing her smile is a joy.

This Director's Cut version is long, so settle in and get comfortable. But I enjoyed the extra hour. This is a film for anyone who has known passionate women, who may be unpredictable at times in the month. Hard to live, with and live without.

Don't read too many detailed reviews or view spoiler clips. Just enjoy Betty Blue.

Blast From the Past - Betty Blue review by SM

I first saw this film when it was released ... I was living in France then, and this certainly added to my enjoyment of the film - I was so proud to be able to follow the dialogue! But apart from this, I remember just being blown away by this film...very moving and powerful performances. This film will take you by the throat and shake you. I can't wait to watch it again.

A rich & natural love story, although some script discipline is needed (Director's Cut watched) - Betty Blue review by TB

For a very large number of people, whilst they might not even know the title of this film, they will have seen the poster. The iconic image of Béatrice Dalle, in a white profile on a blue night sky with stars, was everywhere in the late 80's/early 90's, on bedroom walls & in the back of film & TV scenes. It has also become a cult film, mainly among the young men who flocked to see it because of its frank & fearless sexuality.

Watching it, having seen almost none of the other French films around that time, what struck me most was the profound influence it has had on many of the films that followed it, as well as clearly having had a considerable impact of those writers/directors. Both The Dreamers and Blue is the Warmest Colour owe a lot to it, whether in the depiction of relationships/intimacy on screen or simply setting up a scene & allowing us as the audience to observe/get lost in the world these characters live in.

And that last sentence embodies what I loved most about this film: to be in that world & share time with these two dynamic & real people. This film would have totally & utterly failed had the 2 actors not been fully committed to it, whether in the fearlessness of the nudity/sex scenes, or simply the playing off of each other as they progress from living in a shack on the beach through to a big French house in a beautiful little village.

Where the film for me doesn't work is in the depiction of the struggles of Betty with her mental health. She will go from happy & joyful one minute to having full meltdowns & destroying everything in sight the next, but this never really is shown to affect Zorg in the way you might think. The 1st meltdown in the film, where she literally destroys the house/belongings of a man she has known a week, prompts almost indifference in him. Then when she does it again shortly afterwards, he simply watches her, despite the fact it is established very early on that he is living almost hand-to-mouth.

As the story progresses & their relationship goes through it's ups and downs, this is the one thing which constantly derails the film narrative. I found myself eye-rolling at these points, because it turned the film from a fearless & frank love story into a high-budget version of EastEnders or Coronation Street. However, I do give the film massive credit for showing how devastating mental illness is at that period in time, when for most people whenever they thought of psychiatric illness, their mind instantly went to One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. Betty is an extremely relatable & vivacious woman, far more than a one-dimensional love interest.

If you have 3 hours to spare and want to go on this journey, there will be plenty to love. But you may finish it & wish the writing/story was a bit more tighter.