Dull, uninspiring tale of young love from a reputed master of French cinema. Andre Techine's film fails on many levels, unable as it is to grab our attention, hold our interest or endear us to its participants.
"Wild Reeds" has a very weak link, and that is its script. From director Techine, Gilles Taurand and Olivier Massart, it misses the mark on both plot and character development. The story, concerning a young boy's love for a fellow student who has lost his brother in the Algiers war, and a young girl's confusion about life and love which is compounded by her mother's nervous breakdown, never manages to captivate or even slightly interests us. Coupled with this is the scripters failure to present characters we can care about. Ensuring the film's complete destruction is the awful, pointed dialogue that is totally embarrassing and never works.
In this light "Wild Reeds" did not stand a chance, and any attempts by the young cast to salvage the film are doomed. Having said this, Gael Morel, Elodie Bouchez, Frederic Corny and Stephane Rideau all try hard to reach us from their confused, youthful worlds. Alas none of them can.
Cinematography from Jeanne Lapoirie is fetching.
Monday, August 4, 1997 - Hoyts Croydon
"Wild Reeds" has a very weak link, and that is its script. From director Techine, Gilles Taurand and Olivier Massart, it misses the mark on both plot and character development. The story, concerning a young boy's love for a fellow student who has lost his brother in the Algiers war, and a young girl's confusion about life and love which is compounded by her mother's nervous breakdown, never manages to captivate or even slightly interests us. Coupled with this is the scripters failure to present characters we can care about. Ensuring the film's complete destruction is the awful, pointed dialogue that is totally embarrassing and never works.
In this light "Wild Reeds" did not stand a chance, and any attempts by the young cast to salvage the film are doomed. Having said this, Gael Morel, Elodie Bouchez, Frederic Corny and Stephane Rideau all try hard to reach us from their confused, youthful worlds. Alas none of them can.
Cinematography from Jeanne Lapoirie is fetching.
Monday, August 4, 1997 - Hoyts Croydon