Breathe (2014) User Reviews

Sociopath in the Schoolyard

[tigerfish50 · 8/10 · 21 November 2015]

The opening shots of 'Breathe' depict the tranquil facades of a quiet provincial town in Southern France as a new day dawns. A sensitive teenage girl called Charlie awakens to the habitual sounds of her parents arguing over the father's infidelities. By evening the marriage has disintegrated, and Charlie begins a new chapter in her struggle to avoid emotional stress.

Friendship with a charismatic new classmate called Sarah seems to offer Charlie some refuge from the painful aftermath of her family's break-up. The pair quickly develop a bond - but it soon becomes apparent Sarah shares some of Charlie's father's tendencies toward dishonesty and selfishness. Charlie's hunger for affection makes her especially susceptible to Sarah's deceptions and manipulations, and the relationship transforms into a quicksand of suspicion, jealousy and betrayal. The tension builds to a suffocating level as the shifting alliances of Charlie's teenage community increase her sense of isolation. 'Breathe' has some similarities to the American melodrama 'SWF', but it's far more credible, layered and well constructed. The film is also flawlessly written, directed and acted throughout, which makes its unexpected conclusion especially electrifying.

A quiet, disquieting portrayal of the potency of emotional conflict at Teen-age

[sepial · 8/10 · 24 March 2015]

So she's a great director, too. I still haven't seen Laurent's 'Les Adoptes', but will close this gap asap after watching this her 2nd feature film. On the surface alone 'Respire' offers everything that's good about and expected from a social drama produced in Europe: hand- held camera, faithfulness to the light in which we'd see each scenery in real life, the effects being in the faces rather than in post production. The story being told by those faces as much as by film narrative, foremost by Josephine Japy's face. And the film unfolds as everything but mere surface. It's a very simple story, a school friendship going awry with tragic consequences, but Laurent's focus is on the subtleties of this relationship's evolution in each moment, and in collaboration with formidable acting this makes it a compelling watch. One small but powerful feature of film language that particularly delighted me was the smart use of slow motion: slow-mo is too often used in other films in a very annoying, bashful in-your-face way, here it is sparsely used, brief moments that follow the sole purpose of accentuating, and these moments work. The final result is a quiet, engaging, and ultimately disquieting and unsettling portrayal of the potency of emotional conflict at teen-age, of how unrehearsed and thus affecting, cruel and potentially dramatic and disastrous actions and reactions can be, especially if the pretence of adjustment hides the cracks of insufficient, failing or absent home support. Reacting increasingly becomes overreacting, foreboding eventual catastrophe; vulnerability takes vengeance on the greater vulnerability, and it is the containment of this greater vulnerability beating with the heart of the more reasoned protagonist that will in the end cease abruptly and give way to a surrender of control. The final take, as simple, precise and convincing as the entire film, is nothing short of ingenious. Praise be due to the performances of both leads, especially Josephine Japy (often reminding me of a young Binoche), as well as that of Isabelle Carre, playing Charlie's mother.

Intense stuff

[dibeyendu · 7/10 · 23 December 2015]

A classroom discussion on passion, right at the beginning of the movie, gives an indication of what's to follow. Passion in excess is dangerous says the teacher, in response to our lead character's question, but alas, passion by it's very nature is prone to excess. Controlled passion is near impossible. So it is with our introverted self-controlled, studious heroine, who tries to bring her feelings for her classmate under control. But the other girl just won't let her be, not knowing low close to the edge she's pushing things. The French students in this movie make for a refreshing change from the way high school students are depicted in Hollywood movies. Here, they are fairly mature, intelligent, interested in their studies, never bullying, certainly not hyper sexed. Why haven't I given it a 10? Well, as another reviewer said, you do wonder at times during the movie what the point of it all is...

A film you have to experience for yourself!

[jeffdrollins · 26 December 2014]

You may remember Mélanie Laurent from her wonderful performance in Quentin Tarantino's 2009 nazi revenge fantasy, Inglorious Basterds. In that film she portrays the lone survivor of a Jewish family who was slaughtered by the Nazis. She ultimately gets her revenge in a stunning scene that takes place in a movie theater with a home movie playing – her laughing face being projected onto the screen – as the Nazis meet their demise in a bloody malaise she had a hand in orchestrating. Laurent has moved behind the camera for Breathe (her feature length debut) and it's no exaggeration when I say that this film is even more powerful than the one her character in Inglorious Basterds created. Starring Joséphine Japy as Charlie, a high school senior who sparks up a hazardous friendship with the new girl in school, Sarah (played by Lou de Laâge). Charlie's parents relationship can be described as tumultuous and, at times, downright abusive, with her timid mother (Isabelle Carré) always being on the receiving end. This behavior has spilled over into Charlie's world, affecting her view of her own parents as well as the way she seeks out companionship amongst her peers. And while this could all have played out like a hammy "very special episode" of prime time television, instead we get an excellent character study of complex personalities coming together and tearing each other apart.

Breathe is, above all, a story about toxic relationships and it handles that issue with the care and seriousness it deserves. Charlie and Sarah's friendship is based on uneven ground with Sarah always having an upper hand. She's a villain, for sure, but there's more to her character than an unexplained desire to cause pain. She's a victim, just as Charlie's mother is a victim, just as Charlie herself is a victim to Sarah's own behavior. These people are different sides of the same coin and Breathe subtly illustrates how this pattern of abuse and submissiveness is learned and passed down from generation to generation. It's beautifully devastating once you see the paths these characters are intent on walking down become clearer and clearer.

I can't recall a single film that has been able to so vividly capture the experience of adolescent friendship gone sour the way Breathe does. At several points I caught myself actually having to slow my own breathing down as I had gotten so worked up over what was playing out on the screen. This film brings you back to adolescence and the heartbreak that comes when friendships fall apart and betrayal becomes something real rather than just a thing you read in books and see in movies. This is due in part to Laurent's beautiful directing, framing shots to perfectly reflect Charlie's isolation from everyone but Sarah, blurring the edges of her life and solely focusing on the object of her desire. But the true verisimilitude of Breathe comes from its two lead performances.

Japy and de Laâge are just outstanding in their respective roles. Breathe wouldn't be able to pack such a powerful punch without the presence these two actresses bring to the film; they are so genuine in the skin of these characters that it's hard to believe you're not watching these events unfold as a member of their inner circle. These are two breakout performances occurring at once in the same film and for that, Breathe is really something you have to experience for yourself.

Brooding but Sometimes Ineffective

[pc95 · 6/10 · 10 June 2016]

French movie "Respire", directed decently by Melanie Laurent starts out OK and sets up a strangely brooding story. Although the runtime is only 90 min the middle of the movie feels quiet and ineffective. Emotional tumult and cyclical behavior is on full display and the story pulls together to become more involving the towards the end. A good cause-and-effect explanation and rule-of-thumb on display is that emotional struggles at home generally manifest outwardly in social coping whether it be acting-up, acting-down, seeking help or closing up from damaging emotional situations. Anyway give the movie a mixed OK - 6/10; mildly recommended.

Someone pick this up for North American distribution right now!

[Good_Will_Harding · 10/10 · 28 October 2014]

After years of missing out and the repeated back and fourth of "ok-yes-definitely-maybe-probably not-too late" excuses, I finally made my way down to the Philadelphia International Film Festival. I was just visiting the area this past weekend and figured that I'd finally swing by the festival after years of hoping to get around to it. That said, I only had enough time for one film, and while there were a lot of heralded festival heavyweights I could've picked from, I figured I'd opt for something that – while it's gotten my personal attention – hasn't garnered much interest elsewhere and probably won't be getting a legitimate North American release for quite a while. The film in question here of course being Melanie Laurent's positively riveting teen drama Breathe, or Respire, if going by its original French language title.

The information pamphlet for the festival summarizes the film as follows: "Charlie is an average French suburban teenager, but when she becomes fast friends with Sarah, the rebellious new girl at school, she discovers there's nothing average about how she feels in Melanie Lauren't sexy sophomore film." Sounds about right.

What that description didn't have enough time for was to really go into detail regarding the story, which depicts a seemingly fleeting instance of young lesbian love gone miserably awry, transcending typical teenage girl drama and winding up taking a serious emotional and psychological toll on both of those involved. But if this film is starting to sound like a certain other French lesbian drama that came out last year blog, I can assure you that the similarities stop there. Putting aside the country of origin, subject matter, and age group of the protagonists, the two films hardly have a great deal in common (more on their similarities later). In fact, this film's generally understated tone makes it more akin to something like The Perks of Being a Wallflower, a similarly melancholic portrayal of young adults grappling with difficult life situations, rather than Blue is the Warmest Color.

In the leading role of Charlie is Josephine Japy, an alluring young French actress who, along with director Melanie Laurent, has created the single most sympathetic female protagonist of 2014, with Japy being able to express an extremely raw vulnerability with little more than her body language and facial expressions, instilling an immediate sense of empathy upon the viewer. However, that's not to suggest that she is depicted as a flawless saint or a mere innocent victim herein. In fact, both of the leading ladies' most defining internal character traits – Charlie's near crippling shyness and Sarah's rampant possessiveness – begin to manifest themselves externally over the course of the runtime, for better or worse. And while certain early details hint at Charlie's lesbianism (her preference of the more masculine nickname Charlie over her birth name Charlene; the story of her underwhelming first sexual encounter with a boy), it becomes less of an abstract and a more identifiable part of her personality as the film goes on, which culminates in the most significant dialogic exchange regarding her feelings for Sarah, which also happens to be spoken in the English language.

Another thing the film manages to perfectly capture is the hotheaded, whirlwind nature of the excitement of being a part of a brand new friendship and/or romantic relationship (or in this case, somewhere in the middle). And if the aforementioned Blue is the Warmest Color was a depiction of a young woman's self discovery of her own budding sexuality and subsequent first love gone all's well, then Breathe offers the flip-side version of that scenario. This could be attributed to it providing a similar narrative foundation, and almost identical first ten minutes to Blue's, before things peak early and begin to crumble quickly for our young heroines.

And from a technical standpoint, the film also impresses. For an actor turned director, Melanie Laurent has a striking visual sensibility, which proves to be perfectly matched for this subject matter, with several individual shots and/or sequences vividly highlighting Charlie's isolation, and it also has one hell of an effective long-take.

Festival or not, Breathe is one of the single best films I've seen from 2014. Hopefully it gets a more prominent release soon, or I'll distribute the damn thing myself.

Some friendship comes fast to scar on your life.

[Reno-Rangan · 7/10 · 8 June 2015]

Very close to being a French version of the 2003 movie 'Thirteen'. About two 17-year-old girls, Charlie, a privacy girl with the asthma and the new arrival, Sarah, a sarky with the mystery background. A fresh friendship bloom unexpectedly between them, they begin to share everything. As fast they become close, the each others secret reveals, with the same speed a series of conflict forces them away with hatreds. Once again a movie based on the novel of the same name. Melanie Laurent's 2nd movie from the director's chair and she outclassed it.

Intense drama, from the beginning to the end. The story concentrates only these two girls, their first meet, relationship development and the story's conclusion. Very rarely other characters come into the frame with little to deliver speech and exhibit the act. The first half of the film exactly like the first half of the 'Heavenly Creatures'. Closely showcases the two girl's establishments of an unbreakable bond who do lots of mischievous stuffs together. And the second half was like the second half of 'Thirteen'. The fierce battle like environment like the usual catfight, but fairly avoids the overdose which makes a worthy whole.

With you, I feel bad. I lie, I am hard. You make me play the bad guy. It's unbearable.

What makes a two best friends (girls) hate each other, a boy? That's how the story switched from one way to another, a turning point in the storytelling. But this film was not all about fighting for a boy, there's something else which was the backbone to the narration. Weaknesses becomes a pointed gun to the face to deal with. The circle of to be victimized and be a victim was relatively balanced. The incomprehensible teen emotions take the story with the sequences of blames and absolves.

What I don't get is in the most of the movies is at the end why the film character sees the camera. This doubt is because the whole film explains something, but that final frame gives a different dimensional meaning. Maybe the indication of reform, like that happens in the coming-of-age movies either good way or bad. So, according to this movie... Sorry, you have watch to know it.

Impressive display by the lead two girls. Music, locations, everything was fine and holds the story till the last minute with same the intensity, then all the sudden releases it with a shocking twist. It was so quick and unexpected at that moment. So there's where I was disappointed a bit. The end should have been a more suitable one than preferable for a strong finish. But no complaints for the rest, a good teen drama which presents the evolution of love and trust to hate and disgust between two characters.

7/10

Simple, but you may need some time to recover after.

[zieg-97-669628 · 10/10 · 26 August 2017]

If person like Sarah haven't not influenced yours life, than this movie can be to short to make reasonable impact on you. On other side, if yours life was strongly influenced by person like Sarah, then this movie could be a little bit to harsh. Before I met such a person I was unable to imagine that this kind of people could possible exist – it just does not make any sense. It was harsh to see this movie, but it is very good to be reminded in clear way that those people exist.

Genre Undefined

[mannacio · 6/10 · 25 October 2015]

If you are an adult, mature enough to find teenage silliness boring, the first part of this movie will seem a bit slow paced. Once the pathological relationship between Sarah and Charlie become clear it will evince somewhat more interest. But I think the "surprise" ending will not prove to be a surprise to most intelligent adult viewers. And when it's all over you may justifiably ask yourself, what was the purpose of this movie? Entertainment? Only for those who find themselves entertained by a rather lurid world of teenage passions. I hope you're not sitting next to one of those. A cautionary tale for parents? Hardly. A character portrayal in which one can empathize with the difficulties of the two girls because their high school experience is so much like our own, or like others we knew? Not very likely. So the movie, if it serves any purpose at all, is for the vicarious enjoyment of a seemly existence and its consequences. At many points in the movie you are almost sure to ask yourself whether Charlie couldn't have made much better decisions in her relationship with Sarah. The class, at the beginning of the movie, which tells the students (and surely warns the rest of us) that passion and intellect cannot coexist is certainly a very French view and this comment is surely meant to underline the rest of the movie. Perhaps if this were the inflamed passion of adults, as in the Postman Only Rings Twice, this forewarning would be appropriate - but unnecessary. Here it is needed but doesn't help.

Inhale DEEPLY

[thegort · 10/10 · 8 February 2016]

It starts out rather breezy, like an Eric Rohmer film of yore--sunny vacation days at the seaside, relationships not quite in sync, a highly observant drama with beautiful young actors in in believable situations. Soooo French. Will there be a moral to this tale? I will not spoil any further, but suffice it to say that it becomes MUCH more intense, and totally spellbinding.

The acting is phenomenal. The direction stunning, from Melanie Laurent, still in her 30's, a familiar actress who has graced many a production since 1999. (Although NOTHING could have saved the cosmically terrible Inglorious Basterds).

Don't miss this one if nuanced characterizations and intricate plots appeal to you.

Respire

[sharky_55 · 6/10 · 26 March 2016]

It's a familiar story no doubt. New exotic girl arrives at school - she's rebellious, feisty, carefree, attractive - an instant hit, in other words. But she has a horrible secret that could rip these relationships apart. The most telling moment that convinces us of this truth is near the end as Sarah quietly whispers into Charlie's ear all these terrible little things that slowly build and build until they become more than just bullying or patronising. In that moment I almost feel inclined to do what Charlie does. The rest of the conflict is silly high school stuff that doesn't really drive towards that tragic ending. Spreading rumours and insulting via graffiti doesn't mean the end of the world.

The film is shot with a penchant for naturalism, like many indie dramas do these days, which means the camera nervously observes these intimate moments like a fly on the wall. But Laurent seems to contradict this style at will, with inserts of shots that are clearly planned from the get go. The plane with Sarah in it roaring overhead a despondent Charlie, using architectural frames to indicate figurative distance despite literal closeness, and making Sarah hover like a ghost over Charlie until she fades away and out of focus. The most egregious of these however is the way "We are Young" ironically flares in the background of the pulsing club whilst Charlie cowers, chilled by the threat on her life. This seems to be a rather deliberate bypass of the style which forbids non-diegetic music. The two young leads do a great job, but the emotional distress becomes near insufferable with the repeated gasps and high pitch whines that shout out what to feel. And in the constant smash cuts that seem to think that less is more and urge our imaginations to fill in the gaps with horrors of our own, what really happens is the shallowness of the narrative is exposed.

Multi talented Melanie Laurent delivers typical French drama

[slootje12 · 9/10 · 9 April 2015]

Respire is in all respect typical French drama. Apparently dry scenes, where you wonder if you're missing something. Restrained and subtle emotions that are confusing and irritating. A couple of dramatic plot twists. And beautiful, good, young actresses. I love it.

Josephine Japy as the introverted Charlie and Lou de Laage as extrovert Sarah are fine casted. Sarah can get under your skin. There are several moments in the film that I wanted to hit or hurt her. Charlie is often apathetic. I would kick her ass sometimes or shake her to wake her up. The crying and gasp scene at the end of the film is breath taking.

Although I'm far from the subject in age and I'm not a woman, I could easily empathize with Respire and it hit me several times like I was 17 again.

Breathtaking

[Red_Identity · 12 February 2015]

Woooow. I've seen about 180 films from last year, and there were villains in many of them, but I didn't utterly hate any of them with every single fiber of my being, and Sarah here... wow. If there's ever been a film to come the closest to really making you feel that the murder was justified, this was it. I literally wanted to punch my screen at times, hoping that my punch would somehow magically reach through the screen. Beautifully, fantastically shot, haunting and eerie while still maintaing a sense of it being a realistic story about friendship and belonging. I really hope this gets a 2015 US Release somehow. This is strongly recommended, even if its origins aren't totally unique.

Vibrant, dark, captivating drama

[I_Ailurophile · 10/10 · 22 April 2023]

The roots are familiar, with a coming-of-age story weaving in troubled family dynamics and the variability of high school social life. Likewise, the chief conceit is one we've seen before as a fierce, hot-burning friendship develops rapidly between Charlie and Sarah, and becomes something else entirely. In the highly capable hands of Mélanie Laurent, however, even in only her second directorial effort , this rendition feels extra tight, with especially vibrant and increasingly dark energy coursing throughout; rarely have these themes and Big Ideas ever been so strident and disquieting. It's not that any one aspect specifically stands out, but rather, great skill and care across the board result in a picture that's altogether spellbinding, and superb. However it looks from the outside looking in, and from the time one starts watching, 'Breathe' is far much more than first meets the eye. Whether one is a big fan of someone involved or just looking for a good, absorbing movie, this is well worth checking out - with what I think is an important caveat that it becomes immensely discomforting, more than I ever could have anticipated.

Between the source novel and certainly Laurent and Julien Lambroschini's adapted screenplay, the dialogue, scene writing, characters, and overall story bristle with an electricity that's equally invigorating as a viewer, and unnerving. Fine as the writing is generally, the primary strength absolutely lies in the taut, buzzing dynamics between the two central characters - colliding, straining, pulling, crushing. Protagonist Charlie is deeply sympathetic in the uncertainty and conflicting moods and desires with which she is plagued, and it's to the tremendous credit of Joséphine Japy that she embodies these difficult nuances so deftly in her terrific performance. Lou de Laâge almost threatens to upstage her in her charged, spirited portrayal of Sarah - bold, forthright, uninhibited, and ruthlessly commanding. The heart of the feature, and of its drama, lies in the twisting evolution of that relationship, and as the length advances every scene and piece of dialogue is bent toward accentuating and building upon the latent, virulent perniciousness, and the harsh underlying truths of every story idea. Between Japy and de Laâge it's impossible to pick a favorite or say who's acting is better as the excruciating give and take of the proceedings mean that both characters are given prominence in turn, and likewise their actors.

Even at that, the underappreciated genius of the film lies in how it so dexterously toys with our expectations. The premise portends one thing, wherever one may read it and where 'Breathe' goes is far away from what one might initially suppose. That emphatically works in the title's favor as it shows us the underhanded, natural progression of control, manipulation, mental and emotional abuse, bullying, gaslighting, and toxic relationships. Through even the cringe-worthy climax to the exquisite final shot, Charlie is relatable and evokes our deserved pity; Sarah is shown more and more to be wholly monstrous, on a level that no personal difficulties can excuse. The course of events very adeptly cloak these ultimate overtones until the psychological moment, shifting smoothly and discreetly as necessary, and very noticeably leaving other story threads and supporting characters to fade away. Truly and genuinely, my congratulations to Laurent and Lambroschini for such strong writing - and double kudos to Laurent for searing direction that brings out the vivid, churning undercurrents in the acting, and in each scene. Weak oversight can reduce rich material to flat dullness; an able filmmaker can elevate the slightest nothings to brilliance. In this case, having already started with robust, riveting storytelling on paper, Laurent capitalizes on every beat and element and gives it terrible, striking life.

By no means is this to count out anyone else who contributed. The hair, makeup, and costume design is lovely; Arnaud Potier's cinematography is sharp and fetching, and even as it sticks to the background the soundtrack and Marc Chouarain's score further enrich the viewing experience. There's some smart use of lighting here, the crystal clear sound design becomes notably important at a few select points in spotlighting a moment, and the filming locations and sets are swell. However, the thrumming value of the picture very plainly lies in the writing, the direction, and the acting, and between these three elements 'Breathe' is both hard to watch and makes it impossible to tear our eyes away. Even if I weren't already enamored of Laurent I'd be keen to seek out more of her works based on this alone, and that surely goes as well for Japy and de Laâge, who I'm not otherwise familiar with. Given the notions on hand and the torrid thrust of the tale content warnings are necessary for the very same - but then again, in light of the shrewd manner in which the feature summons them forth, maybe this is all the more important to watch. I sat with mixed expectations and no foreknowledge, and with definite preconceptions of what the movie would be; I am so, so pleased at how mistaken I was, as this even handily surpasses and outgrows its foundation in teenage social forces. This is a film of which all involved should be proud; 'Breathe' is outstanding and earns my highest, heartiest recommendation.

Brilliant

[aomarkmann · 10/10 · 2 March 2015]

I saw this movie yesterday night. It was a complete surprise for me in many aspects. First, the movie itself accomplish a very delicate and important subject, relationships, in a very original and simple way, the movie let the actors actually be the movie, and after watching it you realize it couldn't have been other way when you speak of something so important and complex; so I have to mention the outstanding performance of everyone there as well, but especially of Joséphine Japy and Lou de Laâge they where simply amazing. Joséphine Japy, I think this woman shows a talent I honestly have never seen before. A must see.

what a tragic film

[briefexistance · 10/10 · 7 December 2020]

This is such a strong representation of what an abusive relationship is. In order to create this dynamic, we need TWO people: one that surrenders themselves to avoid the other leaving, and the person who gladly takes and crushes the other's self esteem. It just was soul-crushing to watch Charlie feeding from her mother's insecurities and lack of self respect to just amplify them in her relationship with Sarah and leading to the eventual tragic ending of the movie. She learned she musn't speak, she must always keep "forgiving" this toxic person and do everything to keep them with you. Sarah, on the other hand, has always been physically abused, and psychology shows how easily the cycle of violence continues. She then uses Charlie to make her feel like trash, just like she has felt all her life.

I honestly thought initially this was going to be a romantic film, and oh man, how dark it turned!!! But it is an excellent film. This should be played on schools, and be analyzed, so teenagers understand how abuse is never right, how big is the role of your upbringing is and what could happen if you never speak up for yourself. It's just incredibly graphical.

A big, pleasant surprise

[david-rf · 8/10 · 21 October 2015]

This one was a big surprise for me. It It made me feel every single emotion it wanted to make the viewer feel. And, believe me, I'm not a 18 years old girl. So that's even more impressive.

Very well acted, only a couple of directing flaws here and there but generally good. Great character psychology: I bet the Sarah character is very strictly based on an actual person. The only thing I am a bit perplexed about is the ending: it's not bad per se (actually I liked it), but it gives such a sudden leap towards heavy, HEAVY drama that is a bit hard to digest.

In the end, great, underrated movie. 8/10 I'll surely look forward to see any new Melanie Laurent work in the future. That girl has it all.

Painful but just great.

[searchanddestroy-1 · 24 November 2014]

A painfully delicious or deliciously painful, as you wish, to describe this poignant, gripping drama written and directed by women. I love females' films, far deeper than those made by men. At least, most of them. In this movie, you can think of LA VIE D'ADELE. The destructive friendship relation between two Young women. A depressing tale of love and destruction. I can't say anything else, except that the actresses - I don't speak of Isabelle Carré - are totally unknown to me. But that doesn't prevent the characterization to be powerful, excellent. Not for all audiences, because so dark, with an ending that may wipe you out.

I highly recommend this women's film. I love women's films, where no guys - or nearly none - have to interfere with. But I assure you that I also crave for brutal men's tales, with no gals at all... The mix up between the two of them sometimes annoys me.

Good One.

[SameirAli · 9/10 · 31 July 2021]

Directed by "Shosanna", every film lover knows who. This film is an experience. Beautifully written, directed, acted and everything, Cinematography is exceptional. Starts like a very slow, very light teen drama, slowly gets the grip and becomes intense, still keeping its pace. A must watch for those who likes to watch a different movie.

You must watch.

[wilrycar · 9/10 · 26 March 2019]

I generally like French films. I also like slice of life British films. This was beautifully done, especially with the soundtrack to show her despair. Japy deserves many awards, and the director did a fantastic job of bringing the quiet intense hurt and depression and painful emotions to the screen. This is one of the most intense emotional thrillers I have ever seen. I know it isn't meant to be considered a thriller, but I was on the edge of my seat for the third act. I'm so glad I watched it, and the end made me think of The Cell Block Tango from "Chicago"-- if you'd a been there, if you'd a seen it, I'll betcha you would have done the same...

Your new best friend in high school

[Red-125 · 8/10 · 16 January 2021]

The French movie Respire (2014) was shown in the U.S. with the title Breathe. It was co-written and directed by Mélanie Laurent.

Joséphine Japy portrays Charlene (Charlie), a senior in high school. She's intelligent and attractive. A new student (Sarah, played by Lou de Laâge) becomes Charlie's close friend. Sarah's mother works for a humanitarian organization in a developing country, so Sarah lives with her aunt.

The plot of the movie follows the two young women as they move through the last months of high school. It isn't always a pretty picture.

This is a powerful film, with solid acting by both leads. You wouldn't call it a feel-good film. However, remember that it was produced in France, a country not known for feel-good films.

We saw Respire on the small screen, where it worked well enough. The movie has a so-so IMDb rating of 7.1. I thought it was somewhat better, and rated it 8.

P.S. Every person in the movie smoked continually. The percentage of smokers in France isn't that much higher than in the U.S. I don't know if all the smoking was added for some reason by director Laurent, or if it reflected reality.

A breath of fresh air for a traditional teen coming-of-age story.

[JohnDeSando · 20 October 2015]

Mean Girls, My Summer of Love, and many other like films have covered well the lesbian coming-of-age film. Breathe, a knowing but ultimately clichéd version of that genre, is a classy take on the angst of being a teen girl at anytime and anyplace.

Almost 18-year old Charlie (Josephine Japy) falls for class newcomer, charismatic Sarah (Lou de Laage), but Charlie has a challenging time catching her elusive, sexy girlfriend. The beauty of the film is the gentle way director Melanie Laurent treats the roiling passions of youth—an obvious thematic element as the teacher at the beginning of the film lectures about the downside of excessive passion.

The dull, washed-out landscape mirrors the depressing state of the working class and teen emotional adjustments. Shots such as Charlie wading into the water and looking at the horizon may be formulaic but nevertheless are a variation of the symbolic language, a part of this emotional teen overdrive: She is in water potentially over her head, and she can only guess at the events' future implications.

The scene of Charlie and Sarah's kiss followed by a slap is spot on to suggest figuratively the ambivalent, volatile nature of early love, regardless of the orientation. As the title suggests, this stuff is normal heavy breathing for young folks. Breathe is a breath of fresh air in a formula well known for film and teens.

Tennyson understood and embraced the passion: "As tho' to breathe were life." Ulysses

Sometimes when a friendship breaks, it's best to just move on

[mfoxartist · 9/10 · 4 November 2023]

There is scarcely a wasted moment in this beautifully acted, directed and edited film about two teenage girls (Charlie and Sarah) going through bouts of jealousy, obsession and seething cruelty. Within 15 minutes we've bought into their budding friendship and for 10 minutes we luxuriate in it. The opening half hour is exquisite, with snippets of brilliant writing and the entire cast delivering it with an air of nonchalance.

The first fracture in their friendship is subtle but distinct, when Charlie (Joséphine Japy) introduces Sarah (Lou de Laâge) to an old acquaintance as her "classmate" instead of as her "friend." It's not all downhill from there, but it's a bumpy ride, with a playful -- but hurtful -- slap, a slight disconnect at breakfast the next day, and then Sarah abandoning Charlie to take a plane ride with an old acquaintance of Charlie's.

While some other reviewers seem to blame Sarah for most of what went wrong with the friendship, I hold Charlie responsible for a great deal of it, especially when she secretly followed Sarah home and spied on her having an awful episode with her drunk mother. The next day, Charlie was quick to tell Sarah what she'd learned about her as if that invasion of Sarah's privacy meant nothing. Charlie didn't even expressly admit to snooping on Sarah and just acted like "it's no big deal, I found out more about your private life by spying on you." I don't blame Sarah one bit for being pissed about it.

After that, the friendship is broken and Sarah turns up the animosity and cruelty towards Charlie. Charlie just blows off all of her friends because she's become obsessed with Sarah. I won't spoil anything that happens in the latter half of the movie, but it becomes increasingly tense and fraught with emotional pressure.

Great job by Mélanie Laurent, barely 30 years old when she co-wrote this screenplay with Julien Lambroschini and directed her second feature film. Outstanding job by everyone involved with this scintillating and impressive movie.

Fast paced, very interesting to watch

[beetrootsarered · 6 July 2020]

I think that this film is amazing. Five minutes into it and I'm completely sucked into the story of the film. I've got to say, a brilliant job done with the casting, I think this is one of the films for me that actors look perfect for their parts. Not to mention what an incredible job they've done. "Respire" unravels itself so seamlessly, every scene yielding importance yet ties to each other so well that I've not once, while watching the film, realize that the characters I'm seeing on screen are merely fictional.

When we watch a film, we bring our own expectations into it, the outcome of the characters, and for this film, I found myself sympathizing with not only Charlie, the main character protagonist but also Sarah, who is causing distress to Charlie.

I think this movie speaks about morals, we watch as both Charlie and Sarah, two characters fragile in their adolescence, balancing on thin ropes, and we watch closely as every choice they make is a leaning action towards either side of morality: which questions fundamentally, what does it mean to be a good friend, or even, what does it mean to be a good person?

The film reaches beyond what we would expect to be the ending of a story. It felt like it went off the script of a screenplay and dived into reality where we as the audience are in the characters' shoes, living the realistic absurdity of events and the unexplainable emotions that we experience.