Falcon Lake is an interesting directorial debut that explores a boy's experience of first love on a summer holiday. The story is very atmospheric, taking place around a mysterious lake. The young boy, only 13, arrives with his family and meets a 16-year-old girl, with whom he falls in love. This is a rites of passage story with all the usual events, such as drinking alcohol, taking drugs, and falling in love for the first time. The young actors give strong performances, open and honest in their emotional vulterability. The director makes wise choices, such as staying with the children and leaving adult actions in the background or slightly off screen. This is an engrossing, charming, slightly disturbing film. The only minus point is the ending, which opts for ambiguity when a more plausible and realistic ending would have had more emotional punch. Well worth seeing.
13 Reviews
Atmospheric slow burner
comcockbot23 October 2022
If you're into coming of age movies this one is a treat.
The story of Bastien and Chloe is one that you might have seen before but the characters are so well written that you feel like you are making the same new experiences that Bastien does during the movie. They are relatable, flawed yet likeable characters.
While the movie feels very mysterious due to it's cinematography it is actually a fun ride. I've rarely seen humor pulled off in such a way that there is still enough place to contemplate on the emotional depth of the characters presented.
Chloe and Bastien need to be seen to be believed. The chemistry is extraordinary. Much of the film is, actually.
The ending is not. It feels rushed and doesn't give the viewers enough time to familiarize themselves with the situation. Also, something feels off but I can't quite put my finger on it. If the ending would have been en par with the rest of the movie this would have been movie of the year material for me, a strong 9/10 at least. As is, this is still an 8/10 and I kept thinking about Bastien and Chloe for well after when I left the Cinema. Go watch this if you get the chance to!
(Seen this at Viennale Film Festival 2022)
The story of Bastien and Chloe is one that you might have seen before but the characters are so well written that you feel like you are making the same new experiences that Bastien does during the movie. They are relatable, flawed yet likeable characters.
While the movie feels very mysterious due to it's cinematography it is actually a fun ride. I've rarely seen humor pulled off in such a way that there is still enough place to contemplate on the emotional depth of the characters presented.
Chloe and Bastien need to be seen to be believed. The chemistry is extraordinary. Much of the film is, actually.
The ending is not. It feels rushed and doesn't give the viewers enough time to familiarize themselves with the situation. Also, something feels off but I can't quite put my finger on it. If the ending would have been en par with the rest of the movie this would have been movie of the year material for me, a strong 9/10 at least. As is, this is still an 8/10 and I kept thinking about Bastien and Chloe for well after when I left the Cinema. Go watch this if you get the chance to!
(Seen this at Viennale Film Festival 2022)
Authenticly depressing
hannynorbert22 June 2023
This is obviously based on first hand experience. Without spoiling anything, the basic setup is, as stated in the official storyline, that there is a 13-year-old boy (going on 14), who bonds with a 16-year-old girl. The age difference is almost just 2 years, but we can imagine the difference in their maturity - and we will be right.
The male audience already knows where such a setup can lead for a 14-year-old boy: both Heaven and Hell. And usually it leads to both - almost without exception. So it is a really hard watch for any male who has not completely forgotten his early teen years. Pure art here.
The male audience already knows where such a setup can lead for a 14-year-old boy: both Heaven and Hell. And usually it leads to both - almost without exception. So it is a really hard watch for any male who has not completely forgotten his early teen years. Pure art here.
Despite the best of intentions, the horror element in this film is a mere accessory
frankde-jong11 February 2023
Warning: Spoilers
"Falcon Lake" is the debutfilm of Charlotte Le Bon as director and got 5 stars out of 5 in my newspaper (a rating they don't give often). Combined with the fact that the film promised a combination of coming of age and horror I categorized this movie as a "must see".
I hoped for a film similar to the ones Lucile Hadzihalilovic makes them, such as "Innocence" (2004) and "Evolution" (2015), but only in a few moments "Falcon lake" matches the mysterious atmosphere of these films.
"Falcon lake" is about a 13 year old boy falling in love with a 16 year old girl, which in her turn is fond of a 19 years old boy. Both the boy and the girl are thus aiming for someone with more sexual experience and occasionaly have to compensate their lack of experience with bluff, in which the girl is better than the boy.
The problem of the movie is not the "coming of age" element, it is the "horror element". According to the already mentioned review in my newspaper the director had the intention that: "Horror should not be an accessory, but play a key role in this story about two adolescents.". She did not realise this intention. The in between shots of a deserted lake with threatening storm clouds overhead are exactly what she wants to avoid: a mere accessory. The "Sixth sense" (1999, M. Night Shyamalan) type of an ending does not compensate for this flaw.
I hoped for a film similar to the ones Lucile Hadzihalilovic makes them, such as "Innocence" (2004) and "Evolution" (2015), but only in a few moments "Falcon lake" matches the mysterious atmosphere of these films.
"Falcon lake" is about a 13 year old boy falling in love with a 16 year old girl, which in her turn is fond of a 19 years old boy. Both the boy and the girl are thus aiming for someone with more sexual experience and occasionaly have to compensate their lack of experience with bluff, in which the girl is better than the boy.
The problem of the movie is not the "coming of age" element, it is the "horror element". According to the already mentioned review in my newspaper the director had the intention that: "Horror should not be an accessory, but play a key role in this story about two adolescents.". She did not realise this intention. The in between shots of a deserted lake with threatening storm clouds overhead are exactly what she wants to avoid: a mere accessory. The "Sixth sense" (1999, M. Night Shyamalan) type of an ending does not compensate for this flaw.
A humble masterpiece
staceyjm-6076712 March 2023
I saw this film at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival. Of the twelve films I saw, it was, hands down, the best, and one that will stay with me for a long time.
I don't like reading reviews on here that speak too much to a film's plot, so I won't go into details there. Suffice it to say, this is a uniquely crafted coming-of-age story, depicted with almost painful accuracy, with more than a few twists and fresh takes on the genre. It's funny, moving, at times quiet and contemplative, other times intense and energetic. The acting is superb, and the score is perfect.
I believe it was Howard Hawks who said, what makes a great film is: three great scenes, and no bad scenes. If that is the measuring stick, Charlotte LeBon has presented us with a humble Canadian cinematic masterpiece. Not a single shot of this film is unnecessary or superfluous. Foreshadowing beats its quiet wings throughout the entire film, building to one of the best closing shots I have ever witnessed on screen. Watching those final moments, even my goosebumps had goosebumps. If you've seen the film, you'll know what I mean.
I don't like reading reviews on here that speak too much to a film's plot, so I won't go into details there. Suffice it to say, this is a uniquely crafted coming-of-age story, depicted with almost painful accuracy, with more than a few twists and fresh takes on the genre. It's funny, moving, at times quiet and contemplative, other times intense and energetic. The acting is superb, and the score is perfect.
I believe it was Howard Hawks who said, what makes a great film is: three great scenes, and no bad scenes. If that is the measuring stick, Charlotte LeBon has presented us with a humble Canadian cinematic masterpiece. Not a single shot of this film is unnecessary or superfluous. Foreshadowing beats its quiet wings throughout the entire film, building to one of the best closing shots I have ever witnessed on screen. Watching those final moments, even my goosebumps had goosebumps. If you've seen the film, you'll know what I mean.
Love can lead you to a better place, to hell on earth, or both
Blue-Grotto8 October 2022
At a remote cabin in Quebec an awkward and innocent 14-year-old boy, Bastien, is taken under the wing of Chloe, an older, mischievous, and much more worldly girl. While swimming beneath the stars and with tales of ghosts, invitations to parties, impossible dares, challenges to face fears, humor, sexual tension, and acts of courage and defiance, Bastien is beguiled by Chloe. She takes him into underworlds around him as well as inside himself, that he never knew existed. He feels on top of the world and also like he is going under.
"You have to be intelligent to find others intelligent," said director Charlotte Le Bon who appeared at this Toronto International Film Festival screening of her debut feature film with one of its stars (Sara Montpetit, who plays Chloe). This enthralling teenage romance and boreal forest cabin inspired tale really resonate with me because I had similar experiences. Chloe is the type of girl I repeatedly fell for in my life, and I treasure a similarly situated cabin in Canada. In Falcon Lake the parents have a peripheral role. The story revolves around Bastien's point of view, and I find that interesting and refreshingly different from mainstream films that focus more on parents. Music is used sparsely and with powerful effect. The acting, sound, photography, dialogue, and everything else all come together so well. Falcon Lake feels authentic and assured. We will see more from Charlotte and Sara in the future. Falcon Lake first appeared at Cannes and is based on a graphic novel by Bastien Vives.
"You have to be intelligent to find others intelligent," said director Charlotte Le Bon who appeared at this Toronto International Film Festival screening of her debut feature film with one of its stars (Sara Montpetit, who plays Chloe). This enthralling teenage romance and boreal forest cabin inspired tale really resonate with me because I had similar experiences. Chloe is the type of girl I repeatedly fell for in my life, and I treasure a similarly situated cabin in Canada. In Falcon Lake the parents have a peripheral role. The story revolves around Bastien's point of view, and I find that interesting and refreshingly different from mainstream films that focus more on parents. Music is used sparsely and with powerful effect. The acting, sound, photography, dialogue, and everything else all come together so well. Falcon Lake feels authentic and assured. We will see more from Charlotte and Sara in the future. Falcon Lake first appeared at Cannes and is based on a graphic novel by Bastien Vives.
Teenagers and the discovery of themselves
AvionPrince1624 November 2022
Warning: Spoilers
So we follow that young boy and girl. We saw them experiment and do parties and have fun. They discover also their bodies, their sexualities each other and i found some dialogues and scenes pretty interesting with that sexuality that they need to discover by their own. So we saw a lot of funny moments and some interesting "mise en scene" and that kind of movie can really help some young people and we feel very close with the two characters in their fears, the changement in their bodies, the start of their sexuality. It was a nice discovery and i really enjoyed also the ghost part who add a little bit scare or mysterious moments. A nice movie that can i recommend to everyone. Anybody can relate to the teenagers problems in that movie.
A haunting experience
slabihoud23 October 2022
I fully agree with the excellent reviews of the film by Blue-Grotto and comcockbot (the later obviously sat in the same screening as I), and their discription of the story is better than I would be able to deliver. So I will focus on the way the film appeared to me.
Nowadays hardly anyone uses the old academy standard aspect ratio of 1:1.33 anymore and I was a bit sceptic if this stands for an amateuric attempt or fake docu a la Blair Witch Project.
Far from it! The film consists of very controlled settings from the first to the last scene, there is nothing in it that doesn't advance the story or the mood of the film. At the same time it still manages to give you the feeling of an relaxed and slightly boring vacation time for a teenager. Minimal camera movements and long takes with no movement, always a tic longes as we are used to, gives you some uncomfortable moments and you don't know what to do with them, is there something more scary coming or is it just a joke to offset us? The film shifts between the trivial and harmless talks of the grownups and the more daring themes that the two protagonists discuss. The ghost story does appear to come and go. Again, is it just a joke of has it a deeper meaning? Find out for yourself.
Despite the fact the the scenes around the lake have not been technically enhanced, the lake looks not exciting but not mysterious either, the nature is beautiful as it is. The boy and the girl are both great actors and you always believe them in their struggles. The ending has been mentioned as to short to digest, yes, that is true, a bit more time would have been great. But all in all a beautiful film, very well planned and executed, congratulations!
Nowadays hardly anyone uses the old academy standard aspect ratio of 1:1.33 anymore and I was a bit sceptic if this stands for an amateuric attempt or fake docu a la Blair Witch Project.
Far from it! The film consists of very controlled settings from the first to the last scene, there is nothing in it that doesn't advance the story or the mood of the film. At the same time it still manages to give you the feeling of an relaxed and slightly boring vacation time for a teenager. Minimal camera movements and long takes with no movement, always a tic longes as we are used to, gives you some uncomfortable moments and you don't know what to do with them, is there something more scary coming or is it just a joke to offset us? The film shifts between the trivial and harmless talks of the grownups and the more daring themes that the two protagonists discuss. The ghost story does appear to come and go. Again, is it just a joke of has it a deeper meaning? Find out for yourself.
Despite the fact the the scenes around the lake have not been technically enhanced, the lake looks not exciting but not mysterious either, the nature is beautiful as it is. The boy and the girl are both great actors and you always believe them in their struggles. The ending has been mentioned as to short to digest, yes, that is true, a bit more time would have been great. But all in all a beautiful film, very well planned and executed, congratulations!
Sweet and dark
dionth21 February 2023
Wonderfully atmospheric film, with a big role for sound design and an oppressive but fine soundtrack. Feel good movie with a black, grim edge. The ending lacked choices in my opinion and could have been smarter, but definitely recommended!
Despite the slowness, the film is constantly suspenseful. Nice low fi atmosphere and also the picture format contributes to the whole laid back and nothing going on atmosphere, that occasionally is at odds with the subtle thriller/ (light) horror elements.
Beautifully done and I look forward to more from this debut maker, who cleverly uses clichés from similar childhood romance and vacation films.
Despite the slowness, the film is constantly suspenseful. Nice low fi atmosphere and also the picture format contributes to the whole laid back and nothing going on atmosphere, that occasionally is at odds with the subtle thriller/ (light) horror elements.
Beautifully done and I look forward to more from this debut maker, who cleverly uses clichés from similar childhood romance and vacation films.
One of the best films I've seen this year
LordJiggy6 January 2024
An uneasy emotional journey, with amazing performances by the young actors. First film from the director, who brings a spooky sense of unease to the entire story, taking a "coming-of-age" tale and infusing it with the ever-threatening darkness hinted at by a classical fairy tale.
It's aided with deeply evocative cinematography and a musical score that effectively reflects the confused emotions of the two leads, echoing the uncertainty of two characters approaching the unfamiliar and uncharted waters of adulthood. It's a big scary world out there, almost as scary as the world of your own churning emotions inside, as the score keeps reminding you.
While its the slowest of slow-burns, it is incredibly affecting, and well worth any thoughtful viewer's time.
It's aided with deeply evocative cinematography and a musical score that effectively reflects the confused emotions of the two leads, echoing the uncertainty of two characters approaching the unfamiliar and uncharted waters of adulthood. It's a big scary world out there, almost as scary as the world of your own churning emotions inside, as the score keeps reminding you.
While its the slowest of slow-burns, it is incredibly affecting, and well worth any thoughtful viewer's time.
Le Bon
yusufpiskin23 March 2024
I just finished watching the 2022 film Falcon Lake. I didn't know until I entered the data on IMDb that it was actually adapted from Bastien Vivès' semi-autobiographical graphic novel Une sour.
The atmosphere of the film already hinted at this, and learning this made everything fall into place. First of all, Falcon Lake is a film with so many subtexts that we can't call it an ordinary coming-of-age drama. While it has a narrative from the French school, it doesn't get too caught up in art-house storytelling and also appeals to the general audience.
Canadian director Charlotte Le Bon got on my radar with this film, but the real highlight of the film is French child actor Joseph Engel, who won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Performance in a Film for his role. Engel carries the whole film and proves his talent to the audience in every frame he appears in.
Overall, Falcon Lake is a well-made film with a strong performance by Joseph Engel. It's a coming-of-age story with a lot to offer, and it's sure to stay with you long after you watch it.
The atmosphere of the film already hinted at this, and learning this made everything fall into place. First of all, Falcon Lake is a film with so many subtexts that we can't call it an ordinary coming-of-age drama. While it has a narrative from the French school, it doesn't get too caught up in art-house storytelling and also appeals to the general audience.
Canadian director Charlotte Le Bon got on my radar with this film, but the real highlight of the film is French child actor Joseph Engel, who won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Lead Performance in a Film for his role. Engel carries the whole film and proves his talent to the audience in every frame he appears in.
Overall, Falcon Lake is a well-made film with a strong performance by Joseph Engel. It's a coming-of-age story with a lot to offer, and it's sure to stay with you long after you watch it.
Mortified
maudelandry-604-96478811 November 2023
Warning: Spoilers
Do yourself a favor, stop right there, go watch it and then read the review. I didn't went into this film looking for an horror movie, but the ending is the scariest I've felt in a long time and I say that as someone who mostly and compulsively watch horror movies, good, bad, all the subgenres, it's my one and only passion. This movie is beautiful, it made me laughed and cried, it's unnerving and heartfelt. I had no expectation, and I've been serve with a rare delight. I'm actually from Quebec and I can say, it's the first time a movie from here scares me like that. Chapeau bas aux auteurs et surtout à la réalisatrice! I hope she plans to direct more like this.
A little jewel
cuccagna28 January 2024
Frankly I don't understand the low ratings of this little gem. The film is very engaging, romantic and realistic. I perfectly identified with the boy's character, his behaviors and his mistakes.
Masterfully interpreted by the two protagonists, the film makes you think, dream and suffer. It doesn't have any nuances out of place, it doesn't have absurd exaggerations typical of certain productions, it has beautiful photography and simple ideas.
The girl has a magnetic character, the boy perfectly expresses the fears and discomforts of his age.
I loved this movie and I strongly reccomend it to a wide range of viewers.
Masterfully interpreted by the two protagonists, the film makes you think, dream and suffer. It doesn't have any nuances out of place, it doesn't have absurd exaggerations typical of certain productions, it has beautiful photography and simple ideas.
The girl has a magnetic character, the boy perfectly expresses the fears and discomforts of his age.
I loved this movie and I strongly reccomend it to a wide range of viewers.
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