The Beautiful Person

Christophe Honoré – 2008 – France

Although the title is awkwardly (too literally) translated from La belle personne, it proves to be unintentionally appropriate; in fact, it might better have been called The Beautiful People.  The film taught me, among other things, that France is disproportionately packed with beautiful, model-quality young people.  Even while reading subtitles, I was incessantly distracted by a cast, and its supercool wardrobe, and even extras, that look as though they’ve stepped out of trendy fashion magazines.  And it’s not just the leading clique of high school students we’re talking about either; even a teacher is played by the striking Louis Garrel of all people.  I’ve seen four Cristophe Honoré films, and Louis Garrel was in all of them.  They are always interesting but there’s something trite about them too that leaves me mostly lukewarm.  Honoré certainly has an eye for beauty, but it’s hard to empathize with people who look like Garrel as if they’re capable of being that troubled and forlorn.  Everyone in this movie is depressed and lovelorn and yet completely uncomprehending of how thoughtlessly they treat each other.  I guess that’s the point, but it doesn’t make for a very meaningful or endearing experience.  Junie (Léa Seydoux), a very pretty but troubled new girl in school has to decide which of many cute guys to date.  She picks one, but then begins a fling with her Italian teacher (Garrel) anyway.  Trouble ensues.  Waaa.