French film, subtitled in English
NC-17
“Elles” is a 2011 French film following a journalist named Anne (Juliette Binoche), who is researching an article about female students who resort to prostitution to help pay for their studies. Convincing two young women to openly speak about their inclusion into this widely known, but tabooed world, Alicja (Joanna Kulig), a Polish economics student and Charlotte (Anaïs Demoustier), begin to reveal all, from their first client, to their deepest thoughts and desires.
Though Anne is judgmental at first, she soon finds liberation through these womens’ tales, and begins to question her own marriage and sexuality that soon affirms a sort of empowerment into an acceptance of who these women are and their pursuit of happiness. It is an erotic French foreign film that graphically depicts as they say, ‘the world’s oldest profession.’
Make no qualms, the film is very raw at moments and for those uncomfortable with such vivid scenes, be forewarned. But in its entirety, the graphic sexual encounters seem to work due to the nature of the story. You begin to empathize with the two students, but not because they are ashamed of how they obtain their income, but because they do not feel any remorse for how they achieve it. It’s an interesting look at this topic and frustrating just the same.
My only complaint with the movie though may be in its delivery. At times, it was confusing to understand who was being depicted and how it related to the overall theme of the story. Specifically, we see Anne, the journalist who is investigating this topic, begin to lose her identity to this idealistic world in which she envisions something far more freeing than what we as viewers may feel about the situation. It’s her storyline in general that becomes convoluted and you aren’t quite sure what to make of her family, marital situation and finally, her revelations. It was like the film almost had us, but couldn’t quite grasp us. I must say, though, Binoche offers some very fine acting but unfortunately becomes drowned out by the lack of depth in her storyline.
In the end, you kind of take it for what it’s worth; a film that wants to be alluring, feministically daring and thought provoking. Did it work for me? At times. I do however applaud director Malgorzata Szumowska’s attempt to shed light on a dark subject as we understand that this was her original intention. “Elles” premiers July 13 at Kahala Theater as a part of their Angelika in Hawaii program. For other locations, please check Fandango.
“Elles” is a 2011 French film following a journalist named Anne (Juliette Binoche), who is researching an article about female students who resort to prostitution to help pay for their studies. Convincing two young women to openly speak about their inclusion into this widely known, but tabooed world, Alicja (Joanna Kulig), a Polish economics student and Charlotte (Anaïs Demoustier), begin to reveal all, from their first client, to their deepest thoughts and desires.
Though Anne is judgmental at first, she soon finds liberation through these womens’ tales, and begins to question her own marriage and sexuality that soon affirms a sort of empowerment into an acceptance of who these women are and their pursuit of happiness. It is an erotic French foreign film that graphically depicts as they say, ‘the world’s oldest profession.’
Make no qualms, the film is very raw at moments and for those uncomfortable with such vivid scenes, be forewarned. But in its entirety, the graphic sexual encounters seem to work due to the nature of the story. You begin to empathize with the two students, but not because they are ashamed of how they obtain their income, but because they do not feel any remorse for how they achieve it. It’s an interesting look at this topic and frustrating just the same.
My only complaint with the movie though may be in its delivery. At times, it was confusing to understand who was being depicted and how it related to the overall theme of the story. Specifically, we see Anne, the journalist who is investigating this topic, begin to lose her identity to this idealistic world in which she envisions something far more freeing than what we as viewers may feel about the situation. It’s her storyline in general that becomes convoluted and you aren’t quite sure what to make of her family, marital situation and finally, her revelations. It was like the film almost had us, but couldn’t quite grasp us. I must say, though, Binoche offers some very fine acting but unfortunately becomes drowned out by the lack of depth in her storyline.
In the end, you kind of take it for what it’s worth; a film that wants to be alluring, feministically daring and thought provoking. Did it work for me? At times. I do however applaud director Malgorzata Szumowska’s attempt to shed light on a dark subject as we understand that this was her original intention. “Elles” premiers July 13 at Kahala Theater as a part of their Angelika in Hawaii program. For other locations, please check Fandango.
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