Today's Mini-Review: Jeune & Jolie

Jeune & Jolie: ***/*****, or 6/10

François Ozon paints a titillating but rather illogical coming-of-age portrait of the seventeen year old Isabelle (Marine Vacth) who explores her sexuality over the course of a year, told in four episodes over the four seasons. In summer we witness the nubile French girl's defloration by a German boy whilst on vacation with her parents. It's not a very fulfilling first time to say the least, as the young man humps her in a rather unflattering way (though alcohol is partially to blame). In the next season Isabelle chooses a secret life of prostitution, the suggested notion being to seek out other sexual options with men of various ages and preferences to really find out what she likes and desires herself. The exact reason for opting for such a drastic measure to discover her own sexual nature Ozon regrettably leaves in the dark, a rather cowardly move on his part as a writer, since it requires quite a leap of faith to take this decision for granted, one most spectators will have difficulty with. Vacth (actual age 23) nevertheless exhibits a brave performance in her role as hooker, as she is seen nude throughout the film on a regular basis throughout many a steaming sex scene, some exerting a genuine sense of tenderness and even playfulness, but others falling into a category of either unpleasant to watch to the point of debasing, or just awkward redundancy as we fully understood she was a prostitute at that point in the story. Despite all the intercourse she partakes in, the only real connection Isabelle experiences is with an old man who actually seems to care about her as a person too, instead of simply as a body for hire. Unfortunately she proves too much for his weak heart which expires as they have sex one time too many, after which Isabelle's hidden profession comes to light to the police, and ultimately her parents. Over the next two seasons, the girl must cope with her double life, her mother even more so, and come to terms with the reason why she chose such a dangerous and desperate path for her self-exploration. A clear answer is sadly never provided, so we are led to believe that any girl whose first time isn't pretty could easily go down the same route. Isabelle, however, must also deal with the death of a man, especially when she meets his widow (Charlotte Rampling) in spring, who seeks answers of her own regarding his demise. An overly mutually understanding confrontation follows, which further adds to the plot's credibility being stretched further than it ought to be. With Jeune & Jolie Ozon doesn't penetrate the realm of female sexuality for the first time (e.g. Swimming Pool for example), but he does so in his least convincing film to date. Nevertheless, thanks to strong performances by the cast overall and Vacth in particular, as well as genuinely compelling emotions being stirred in the various revelations (not answers, mind you) of the details of Isabelle's life, Jeune & Jolie is still a far cry from the mindless sensational soft-erotic drivel it would otherwise have become.