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Douches froides
2005 Drama
Review
For his debut film, director Antony Cordier chose a subject that many a
novice filmmaker has tackled before him, the trauma of adolescence, and
succeeds in crafting a film that is poignant, compelling and
authentic. Cordier’s take on social realism has a gentle poetic
edge and it’s interesting that the story he tells, about an ordinary
teenager who is about to have all his dreams and illusions shattered,
is warm and engaging, and not the familiar juvenile rant against the
injustices of the world. Johan Libéreau had little experience as an actor before this film, but in his first substantial role he succeeds admirably, giving a sensitive and convincing portrayal of an adolescent coming to terms with his own mediocrity. The film’s explicit ménage à trois sex scenes have earned it a certain notoriety but these are appropriate within the context of the film and are not the usual exploitation gimmick. Douches froides is an intelligent, sincere and well-made drama which treads some familiar ground with compassion and an original adult perspective. Write a review for this film... User Comments
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Director:
Antony Cordier
Starring: Johan Libéreau, Salomé Stévenin, Florence Thomassin, Jean-Philippe Écoffey, Claire Nebout Synopsis
Mikael is an ordinary 17-year old lad from a typical French working
class family. With his father unemployed, his mother has become
the family breadwinner, but she earns barely enough to make ends
meet. Although life is hard for Mikael, he is well-adjusted and
optimistic about the future. Outside school, he divides his time
between Vanessa, his girlfriend, and judo, the sport at which he
excels But, just a few weeks before the exams that will determine
his future course in life, his world starts to fall apart. What
upsets his equilibrium is the arrival of Clément, the spoiled
son of a wealthy businessman. Under Mikael’s tutelage,
Clément becomes a better judo player than him and soon takes his
place in his team. Whilst training for a place in a lower weight
championship team, Mikael finds his health deteriorate as he struggles
to lose weight. Meanwhile, he notices that Clément
is attracted to Vanessa, so he allows him to join them in their
adolescent love making sessions...
Credits
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