Rent The Dreamers (2003)

An intriguing erotic sentimental drama set against the backdrop of the events of May 1968 in Paris - The Dreamers review by Philip in Paradiso

An American university student in Paris, who is fanatical about films, meets a peculiar brother and sister (Eva Green), who are twins and fellow film enthusiasts. The twins have a very close, claustrophobic relationship. The 3 of them become entangled in an erotic triangle. The film is set against the backdrop of the 1968 Paris student riots. The film constantly makes references to various movies of the classical and New Wave cinema.

On one level, the film is interesting and there are echoes of the director's earlier works (such as 'Last Tango in Paris'). The erotic trio is intriguing. Eva Green is remarkably seductive and sexy in her acting, attitude and personality. The reconstitution of the Paris of the 1960s is very well done.

On another level, the movie is somewhat annoying because the central characters, the twins, are irritating and immature: they are typical French, privileged, middle-class students who pretend to be non-conformist revolutionaries. They hate all things that are 'bourgeois' but cannot see that they, themselves, are pure products of the arty, intellectual bourgeois class, French style. The young American is, in fact, far more mature and far more perceptive, but in awe of the twins -- more particularly Eva Green's character. (No doubt this portrayal is largely deliberate on the part of the director, but the characters are nevertheless annoying!)

There is something a bit contrived about the constant references to old movies: it is understandable in a film about film enthusiasts, but it adds to the artificiality of the narrative -- with the theme of the film that includes another film (or various other films), while reality reflects the fiction of the movies, rather than the opposite.

So, it is a good film of a peculiar genre, worth watching, but not quite a masterpiece.

An intoxicating world, with phenomenal fearless performances from Green & Pitt - The Dreamers review by TB

When writing this review, the one thing I am not going to talk about in detail is the politics within this film. The other review makes some extremely valid points about the hypocrisies of particularly the twins and their situation. But the reason I'm not going to talk about it because honestly, I don't care. I did not look at this film particularly in that respect, because I was so in love and enamoured with the world Bertolucci has created.

The Paris shown on screen is completely authentic, believable and lived in. I felt I could almost smell and feel the atmosphere. The cinematography, with its soft colour palette and perfect Mise-en-scène, was flawless. As much as there was the threat from the riots outside, when inside the 3 characters world, it was a distant worry.

The other reason this film works is due to the actors. As much as they were all good, I felt Louis Garrel was the slight weak link. As much as there was the frisson and tenseness between him and his sister, the moody element of it did not work for me. But that is also because of how electric the other two were.

In many ways, I can't choose between Eva Green and Michael Pitt in terms of who I liked more. Green is absolutely intoxicating, not only with her beauty but more than that her attitude and strength. She is many things: crazy, preachy, immature, needy, bossy, scared, innocent.

Pitt has in many ways the far more challenging of the roles. He has to be many things, but not completely overplay the innocence and naïvity of an American in Paris, experiencing all these new events from an outsider's perspective. And Pitt absolutely mastered this. As the protagonist, we saw all of his fears and hopes, plus his slow falling in love with Green's character.

But what makes this film truly fly is the absolute and total fearlessness of all 3 actors. Vast amounts has been written about the sexual content and sex scenes within The Dreamers, by a cynical and controversy obsessed media. And as with films like Intimacy, for me not only is it childish, but also much worse than that, it degenerates and debases the film.

Pitt has said in interviews about his worry about how this film could be seen as pornography and not as a film, but that he wanted to try and be a part of something to change that perspective. And he and the other cast members absolutely succeed in this. Green also mentioned that Bertolucci would repeatedly tell them to not hold back, to take risks and be free & fearless. This has paid dividends.

Without the actor's commitment and fearlessness, The Dreamers would totally fail. It is not a film of half measures, it is an adult and grown-up film which pushes boundaries, challenges you and yes makes you want to be there with them in their little piece of fantasy heaven.

It is pure, over the top extravagance, escapism and fun. Yes, it was a little too long for my liking and some of the script choices were not logical, but I didn't care. I loved this world and I loved this film. And if you want fearless, no holds barred acting, you'll love it too.