The graphic novel by Julie Maroh, about the challenges of two young students who fall in love, conveys an intimate and sad depth that belies its surprisingly modest length.
Abdellatif Kechiche's marathon film adapts the basic set-up as the flower bed for a drastically different and expanded second half. The full arc of a relationship is compressed into three hours as intimate as a kiss and as epic as life's turnovers. Taking care to navigate the highs and lows of love, it feels fragile and honest, conflicted and raw. The intense process of filming took a huge toll on the two leads and the finished film became a prism for anyone's -isms. But it burns with an ardor that feels real and rings true.
