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Young & Beautiful
Jeune & Jolie
2013 95 min France 18+
★6.7
Drama
Director: François Ozon
Trailers
Description
Isabelle, a 17-year-old student, loses her virginity during a quick holiday romance. When she returns home, she begins a secret life as a prostitute for a year.
Budget:
$4.65M
US Gross:
$61,067
Worldwide:
$9.76M
Starring
Marine Vacth
Actor
Géraldine Pailhas
Actor
Frédéric Pierrot
Actor
Awards
San Sebastián International Film Festival 2013
— Otra Mirada Prize (TVE)
César Awards 2014
— Most Promising Actress
César Awards 2014
— Best Supporting Actress
Cannes Film Festival 2013
— Palme d'Or
Key opinion
Jeune & Jolie is a visually polished and contemplative French drama that explores the enigmatic journey of a teenager engaging in sex work. Critics and audiences are sharply divided, with some praising its aesthetic elegance and refusal to moralize, while others find the protagonist’s lack of emotional depth and the film's clinical approach frustrating or hollow.
| Cinematography | The film utilizes sophisticated cinematography and a refined score to create a distinct, aesthetically pleasing French atmosphere. | |
| Acting | The lead actress delivers a performance of 'inexpressive expressiveness,' which some perceive as a perfectly captured portrait of detachment, while others interpret as a lack of emotional resonance or soul. | |
| Screenplay | The screenplay's clinical, non-judgmental tone triggers a divide: supporters appreciate the avoidance of melodrama and didactic moralizing, while critics find the writing superficial and the character's motivations logically opaque. | |
| Pacing | The moderate, steady pacing is welcomed by those who enjoy a contemplative tempo, but viewed as boring or uneventful by those seeking dramatic stakes. | |
| Ending | The ambiguous ending forces viewers to grapple with the protagonist's self-determination, leaving many to debate whether she experiences genuine self-discovery or remains stuck in an existential void. |