The Dreamers sounded like the kind of movie I would like. The film is set against the backdrop of the 1960s, with main characters that share a love of cinema. It appears to be about a group of late teens coming-of-age amidst the cacophony of the late 1960s with anti-Viet Nam sentiment, communist movements with the music that defined the 60s setting the atmosphere. The icing on the cake is that the film is set in Paris, France.
The Dreamers opens slowly, introducing us to a displaced American teenager named Matthew (Michael Pitt). Matthew lives in a hotel while attending school in Paris. He spends most of his spare time satiating his incredible appetite for film. The growing tension in Paris during 1968 starts becoming evident in increased police presence and protests. During one of these demonstrations, the effete American loner reluctantly converses with an attractive girl who he has often seen at the movie theater. She introduces herself as Isabelle (Eva Green).
Isabelle strikes up a conversation in French before shifting back to English, which Matthew is obviously more comfortable with. She introduces Matthew to her twin brother Theo (Louis Garrel), whose initial response to Matthew should set him ill at ease, but Matthew surprisingly adapts without discomfort. The three begin an odd friendship. Matthew is eventually invited to come stay with Isabelle and Theo while their parents are out of town. They spend their days discussing, re-enacting and living classic film. The strange discussions and sexual energy between the three provide plenty of opportunity for thought-provoking dialogue and drama, as well as sexual tension, nudity and sex.
Gilbert Adair adapted his own novel to create this offbeat film. Individually, I like quirky, I like dark themes, I like offbeat, I like silly, I like unique, I like period pieces, even nudity if contextual. The Dreamers contains all of these elements, but very little in the way of plot. It seemed to rely on strong characters, which they are, eccentric dialogue, vivid visuals and a loose theme rather than using an actual plot. I enjoyed the artistic aspects of the film but was left feeling unfulfilled at the rather anti-climactic ending. The ending could have gone many different directions, but it simply fizzled out. I was incredibly disappointed. It seemed that pushing the envelope with the sex and nudity was intended to compensate for the disjointed pieces that left more questions than they answered. I felt unresolved on a few plot lines when the film was over. There were also some stretches, especially near the beginning of the film, where the pace slowed to a creep.
The acting was pretty good. Pitt, Green and Garrel had great chemistry and created the type of on-screen sexual tension that I am certain Director Bernardo Bertolucci was looking for. The sexuality of the three provided intensity, while excellent acting created the emotional drama to make it more than just sex and nudity. If not for the incredible cast, this film would be garbage to me. It took strong performances to sell the concept and give it an emotional element that adds some depth to the relationships. I believed that the three were genuinely bound by an unseen thread.
The MPAA was certain to give The Dreamers an NC-17 rating (an R rated version is also available). This film spares nothing when it comes to human sexuality. Male and female genitals, buttocks, breasts, sex scenes, bloody sex and hints toward incest and homosexuality are all on full display. There was some language, cigarettes, lots of wine, but that stuff is child's play to the rampant sexuality of this film. On the one hand, it is a big part of the story...on the other hand, no holds are barred. The rating is proper...17 years old and up for the uncut version.
I enjoyed several aspects of The Dreamers but felt that it fell short of the mark. The weak pacing at the front end of the film and the petered out ending were bookends on a great middle filled with sexuality, sensuality and some thought-provoking dialogue (all set against the backdrop of the 60s). The soundtrack set the feel of the era (Joplin, Hendrix, The Doors, The Steve Miller Band and more). The film has several elements that I like to see on celluloid, but did not come together comprehensively for me when all was said and done. I did not enjoy the sum equal to the parts. 6.5/10.
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