Our Paradise (2011)

Our Paradise (2011)
Notre paradis (original title)

 

Director: Gaël Morel
Writer: Gaël Morel
Genre: Drama, Crime
Country: France
Language: French
Duration: 96 min
Year: 2011

Stars: Stéphane Rideau, Dimitri Durdaine and Béatrice Dalle

Vassili je muška kurva zašla u godine kada sve teže nalazi klijente. Jedno veče u Bolonjskoj šumi nalazi pretučenog mladića, takođe prostitutku po imenu Andjelo. Pomaže mu da se oporavi i nastaje ljubavna veza između njih. Ali Vassili u sebi posjeduje nešto što mu sa lakoćom omogućava da ubije čovjeka izvršavajući "pravdu" prema sopstvenim mjerilima.

Film se može klasifikovati kao neka ljubavna kriminalistička drama.Zanimljivo prikazani likovi koji su razvili sopstvene životne norme i pravila, kako u odnosu prema drugim ljudima tako i prema seksu. Na žalost te norme i pravila ponašanja nisu onakve kakve bi uistinu željeli nego norme nametnute životnim situacijama u kojima zapadaju.

Odnos starijeg pedera i mladog Andjela nalikuje na odnos svodnik-ljubavnik ali u pozadini se ipak krije prava ljubavna romansa mladjeg i starijeg muškarca. Zaštitnički odnos starijeg ljubavnika je nešto što kao magnet privlači uplašene momke koji traže odgovore na mnoga pitanja, prvenstveno o sebi samima. Ispočetka su takve veze vrlo jake, ali vremenom postaju nestabilne prožete ljubomorom i posesivnošću. Mladji dolaze do odgovora na pitanja koja postavljaju tražeći svoje mjesto u društvu, a time se smanjuje potreba da budu zaštićeni. Potreba da budu voljeni i shvaćeni postaje ono čemu većina teži.

Film je na kraju ostao nekako nedorečen. Priča je završila onako kako je morala da se završi, ali ostala je nejasna ona mračna strana kod Vasillia koja se uz  erotiku preteže kroz cjeli film. No bez obzira na to film zaslužuje pažnju i svakako ga preporučujem za pogledati.

 

By TheGayUK, Jul 8 2012 6:36PM
Something deeply dark and disturbing yet visually enticing awaits viewers for this French drama about a 30-something hustler whose neurosis about aging is, we assume,  turning him to a motiveless murderous monster.   After finding a younger man (Dimitri Durdaine) lying dazed, damaged and suffering from memory loss in the cruising grounds of Bois de Boulogne, Paris,  Vassili (Stephane Rideau) shrouds his new muse, becoming a hybrid of pimp/lover figure to his new squeeze.  After a client, who Vassili believes he had murdered, is discovered living in Paris, the two lovers and now accomplices are forced to go on the run.

Our Paradise is a enigmatically beautiful piece of cinematography with much thought given to ensuring that the characters are either corpulently grotesque or fallen angelic beauties, not in equal measure however.  Angelo is the fallen angelic beauty - both inside and out.  Vassili’s world is full of these gross, bloated and aged individuals who, one imagines used to be paying trade, now, with fresh blood, and Vassili’s burgeoning pot belly hindering his prospects; the fallen angelic beauty reignites business.   One odd scene, Angelo is examined by a doctor, ostensibly to see whether the boy was raped shoves a camera into the boy’s anus and describes his findings ‘smooth as silk.’   This is  however, as far as character probing goes.  Un-complex and a little two dimensional in some respects the characters are more animalistic in their pursuits.  Durdaine is almost entirely detached from his character, which adds to the rather chilling but lonely portrayal of Angelo. 

Durdaine plays an almost perfect twink to Rideau’s inflated frame and the audience is given many opportunities to revel in his nakedness, which of course is wonderful and does distract from some the many questions that the film’s lack of motive throws up.

One of the key issues explored is the often mismatched relationships between younger gay men and their respective elder partners. The narrative doesn’t judge, but merely outlines the possible issues faced by such relationships, most notably replaceability for a younger, newer, fresher model and the power struggle between the monied and the beneficiary.   

The supporting cast are superb, their performances loiter in the mind as an uneasy feeling engulfs you.  Sterling performances from supporting cast Béatrice Dalle and a young Mathis Morisset who shows acting promise far beyond his years.

The brilliantly translated subtitles really draw you into the action,  distracting the audience from analyzing our anti heros’ intentions.   Why the film is called Our Paradise remains, annoyingly elusive, as paradise is unobtainable for Vassili and Angelo.   The ending makes the film feel a little pointless and if your looking for a bow to wrap up the little details you certainly won’t find it in this film.