My Life with James Dean (2017) User Reviews

A Film Festival experience with too many storylines

[ccorral419 · 6/10 · 11 August 2018]

Breaking Glass Pictures presents awarding winning director Dominique Choosy (Mar del Plata Film Festival - Best Film "Confort Moderne" 2000) English Subtitled film, providing the viewer a glimpse into the world of the Film Festival. Young director Géraud (Johnny Rasse) is invited to Normandy to screen his film "My Life with James Dean". When his phone is stolen by a little kid, getting a ride to his hotel, meeting his host and finding the cinema are just a few of the obstacles he must encounter. Greeted by a preoccupied hotel employee (Juliette Damiens), a cinema projectionist (Mickael Pelissier) who comes to terms with his sexuality after viewing the film, and a Festival Facilitator (Nathalie Richard) who's full of her own issues, Géraud's festival experience becomes one interesting and at times entertaining challenge after another. However, Choosy, who is also the writer here, incorporates too many smaller story lines, thus leaving the audience with nothing really substantial to hold on to. Luckily, the Normandy seaside village (cinematographer by Laurent Coltellonie) provides a beautiful backdrop for the adventure, and some intriguing background songs (Music by Bertrand Belin) push the film along. Rasse is a handsome and interesting lead character (especially important in an LGBTQ film), who just goes with the flow without much hesitation. Young Pelissier is that innocent puppy everyone loves, but his secret and the repercussions are washed over. Damiens' and Richard are nice secondary characters who continually provide calm and angst in Géraud world. At 1 hour and 48 minutes, the film is long, and it's easy to get distracted. DVD/VOD release: August 28, 2018

Cute. Wholesome. Intriguing.

[trmac-29234 · 7/10 · 16 November 2023]

Honestly, a light, rom-com that keeps you engaged from start to finish. Some will complain it's too long, but I usually don't make that complaint for a movie as long as it's interesting, and this movie is cute, wholesome, and intriguing.

I will say, there is a point in the last half of the movie where a major plot development occurs that left me feeling conflicted, feeling both happy for the protagonist but also uncomfortable and extremely concerned for the protagonist. After it's revealed Balthazar is 15 years old (yes, you read that correctly), I immediately started panicking for Géraud's fate from that point until the movie finally ended. So I couldn't fully enjoy the remainder of the film 100%.

From the start, we (the audience) are introduced to this sweet, wholesome projectionist who develops a crush on the main protagonist, Géraud. You can't help by like Balthazar for being so endearing and wholesome, and therefore find yourself rooting for the story to end on a happy note for their relationship. Then, all of a sudden, you're shocked by the revelation and feeling a rush of feelings.. "Oh my God, he's going to jail for just kissing him..." "The kid's parents are going to murder Géraud once they learn their son is so infatuated with him and he's been reciprocating.." I started feeling guilty for ever wanting the relationship to work out because not only is their love forbidden, but also it's illegal!! I also felt bummed... "Damn, where can this movie go from here now?? I want Géraud and Balthazar to be happy, but at what cost??"

Completely confused, you then witness the mom delivering her son to Géraud so that they can run away together and be happy. "What is this mom doing??? Has she lost it?? Even if she approves, it's ILLEGAL." But wait the anxiety worsens- it's all but explicitly stated that Géraid and Balthazar have sex together. "WHATTTT?!?!?" Then at the end when the Dad and (what I assume are) the police show up, I got a pit in my stomach. "This is it... they're going to get caught. They're getting punished. Géraid is going to jail and who knows what will happen to Balthazar.. This is supposed to be a rom-com, not a Greek tragedy!" However, they escape together with the Dad's approval before the movie credits roll...

I was left completely shocked and super confused. "Did I misunderstand something here?? Was something lost in translation?? (I watched the movie with English subtitles)." So naturally, I went to Google to find some kind of review or statement that reaffirmed my understanding, but since this is a foreign indie film, I had no luck. I spent 30min looking until I finally came across reviews here. It didn't take long for me to confirm I had indeed understood the plot correctly. However, ...

PLOT TWIST: the legal age of consent in France is (apparently) 15. *huge sigh of relief* "HALLELUJAH!! No crimes were committed! I don't have to feel ashamed for rooting for Géraud+Balthazar to be together!" So, I spent 40-60min in full on panic mode for nothing (story of my life). My feelings about the movie have completely changed and I can say with 100% confidence now that I enjoyed the movie, I will watch it again, and I would recommend this movie to others. Is it still kinda "odd" in reality, yes, but this is a work of fiction and it was made evident their relationship was meant to be portrayed as a wholesome love.

Hopefully, this post will give someone like me, who might be feeling similarly after watching the movie, a peace of mind and a better understanding of the movie's ending.

Updated Classic Fun

[earl-rose · 8/10 · 21 July 2019]

This is the kind of French romantic comedy that we saw in "the old days" updated with several twists. The protagonists are gay. The ending (no spoilers) is great fun with a surprise. The classic younger/older matchup is delightful...the younger has more wisdom than the older....and it makes great sport of the fetishism of the James Dean cult. All in all, just the best way to spend a couple of hours....and yes it is over two hours to get there. Did I mention the beautiful Normandy coast line? The supporting players? Excellent work.

A great Gay love story

[jromanbaker · 9/10 · 14 January 2020]

After a while and wondering where it was going I really fell in love with this film. The network of characters with their messy lives and their stories made me think at first that there were too many zany tales to tell, but then the film came into focus like a kaleidoscope settling and revealing beautifully diverse colours. All aspects of love revealed themselves. I will not reveal the plot which has more or less been revealed here but I do want to concentrate on the two male leads. Johnny Rasse as the film director was excellent, but it was Mickael Pelissier who made me laugh and filled me with joy. What an outstanding actor, and his passion was utterly believable and the outcome was absolutely right. One spoiler. Yes, he is young and his object of love and desire is older. But please to those who are offended by this, just say forget bigotry and that this is all on the right side of the law in France. To misquote a famous line; it is another country and they do things differently there. Dieu Merci !!! Maybe the film seemed long at first, but then I settled in and let the magic work and wished for it to go on forever. A great Gay love story. I cannot resist one observation. The two lovers in this film are age wise close to ' Call Me By Your Name '. There is a young man in that film who comes nowhere near as heart rending in his love as Mikael Pelissier.

A Near Perfect Little Comedy

[DJWinston · 10/10 · 26 September 2020]

I just stumbled on this film searching on Amazon Prime last night for something to watch, decided to take a chance on it, and sat down all by myself with a cup of cinnamon latte to watch. Twenty minutes in I was sitting bolt upright with my eyes glued to the TV saying "Hold everything, this is REALLY good." Best film I've seen this year for sure. A comedy so well-written---understated, with restraint and few words, and new revelations throughout---and so well-directed and edited with impeccable timing and an acute eye for so many little comedic details that others would let slide. (I would only point to one perfect little exchange: "You're very tall." "I know." [I'm American so I have to go with the English subtitles.] Five words, but the visual is laugh-out-loud funny, and that little five-word exchange tells you so much about those two characters.)

So I was smiling through this entire movie, and frequently burst out laughing. I did not find it long at all; I actually wanted more. I would heartily recommend this little French gem to all my American movie-loving friends who might be craving a heart-felt and heart-warming comedy during this unending time of quarantine.

Reminded me of the French films of the 1970s...

[JonnyOneNote · 9/10 · 27 August 2019]

This film reminded me of the French films I loved during the 1970s: odd-ball, screwball characters, stuck in unusual situations, working their way through life, with of course a typical (then) French ending for a film. If you liked or loved "Day for Night," "Cousin, Cousine" (not the American remake!), "The Mad Adventures of Rabbi Jacob," "Les violins du bal," or even the original "La Cage aux Folles" (and especially not the American remake!), then you might find yourself smiling to yourself at the ending. Oh, and for those uncomfortable with a particular plot reveal (spoiler alert!), the Age of Consent in France is 15.

A great comedy

[trinityleehocken · 9/10 · 22 August 2022]

I found that the comedy was funny but didn't kill the rest of the film. And the 2 boys the movies main romance plot focuses on is also nice, though personally my favourite was the man with the curly brown hair (I would call him by his name but as an English speaking person I not only don't know how to pronounce his name, but I also can't spell it nor really even knew his name). The best way I heard someone describe him is "if Wilbur Soot was French", tho I think they mean more personality wise.

SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

He was so cute and stubborn throughout the film and I really felt bad for him when the one dude didn't return his feelings those first few times. I do like that tho hotel lady found someone in the end, tho as a character I really didn't like her at the beginning... like bro if someone is passed out drunk you don't have to take off his clothes, especially his undies!!! But I also found she came off as rude in her first appearance's. The director dude was fine, tho I really didn't like it that he gave French Wilbur hints, asked him if he had plans that night and then walked off to another man he has romantic relations with right in-front of French Wilbur. The theatre lady and her girlfriend were fine, tho I don't get why the girlfriend would stay with her after theatre lady supposedly knocked her out, kidnapped her and tied her up tho. I also don't get why she keeps going back to that one dude either tho... either than that it is a really good watch and a good romance.