By Roger Costa
Director Andre Techine is a veteran on the field of exploring youth perspectives, their troubles and desires. In his latest project, he returns to the essentials of provocations and ambiguity previously depicted in his works such as “Wild Reeds”.
In “Being 17” he focuses on the strangely furious rivalry between two young boys engaged in several disputes, including physical, taking place in school and outdoors. They are very different from each other, in many aspects, Thomas (Corentin Fila) lives in the mountains under strict financial conditions with his parents, but as his mother is having a complicated pregnancy, he’s going through a phase of insecurities; Damien (Kacey Mottet Klein) is a smart student who lives a comfortable life with his doctor mother and military father, trying to figure out his sexual identity. They both attend the same classes, and inexplicably Thomas is constantly bullying the wealthy boy, hitting and pursuing him, while Damien fights back using the techniques he acquires with intense training on defense strategies.
Surprisingly, Damien’s mother becomes involved between them, as she’s the doctor consultant for Thomas’ mother; understanding the situation that family is dealing with, she invites Thomas to stay at her house in order to commute faster to school and help him improve his grades with her son’s help. Now, these two boys who have been confronting each other, must endure face to face, and deal with their anger issues as well as the explosive desires they’ve been struggling with.
Director Techine extracts vivid, spontaneous and naturally sensual performances from these two wonderful actors, fully committed to the audacity and ambiguity of their characters. The violent aspect, as the initial alliance between the boys, offers an analysis on the generation’s disruptive behavior and fascination with mayhem. He also opens discussions about family and financial unbalance, as well as compassion among neighbors and the need of motivation for those lacking confidence.
Mainly, “BEING 17” explores Thomas and Damien’s furiously hot friendship, that starts with bullying, then it intensifies with more violence, until it collapses where their hormones lead them to, as well as the unexpected surprises of destiny. Filmed in the exhilarating mountainous landscapes of France, the scenario enriches the story, giving it a provocative expectation on the consumption of the silent desire they carry inside each other.
BEING 17 (A Strand Releasing Film. Opens Friday, October 7th at IFC Center in New York City)
Comments