In the beach town of Gruissan, aspiring novelist Zorg gets totally enamored with the younger, impulsive Betty, leading to a whirlwind romance. However, Betty starts to have violent mood swings, leading him to realize his girlfriend’s impending insanity.
The take
Betty Blue looks gorgeous. Of course, as an erotic film, there’s the beauty of the female form, but Jean-Jacques Beineix frames each moment in excellently lit, colorful frames, making each sunkissed scene a pleasure for the eyes. His approach, alongside that of Luc Besson and Leos Carax, have formed a movement titled Cinéma du look, and inspired plenty of films due to how gorgeous this style looks. But frankly, the style is the only thing that makes Betty Blue watchable, as the plot plays out with the usual aspiring artist, whose talents are recognized by stunning beauties that somehow turn insane for no reason and thus become future muses for their work. We’d hate to be that guy’s girlfriend.
What stands out
It’s definitely unrealistic to have so many pretty women turn insane in late 20th century films, but the idea of it is so memorable because of how beautifully framed these women are. Béatrice Dalle is so striking in her debut, in part to Beineix’s direction, but also in part to how unhinged she can go… But there are better roles, better uses of her talent, than this.
A lover heals her knee and her heart in this contemplative drama about co-dependency
7.0
Mommy (2014)
Aiming straight for the heart while punching you in the guts, Mommy is a crazy chamber piece about a widowed mother and her next-door neighbor bringing up a savage teenager
9.6
Raw (2017)
Unflinching and ferocious coming of age horror
8.3
The Intouchables (2012)
An all-arounder French comedy-drama based on a true story
9.6
The Man Who Sold His Skin (2020)
A Syrian man becomes artwork in this fascinating drama based on a true story
8.0
Laurence Anyways (2012)
A masterpiece from Canadian director Xavier Dolan
8.4
The Secret of the Grain (2007)
The saga of one immigrant's life in Southern France
8.5
Atlantics (2019)
A poetic drama from Senegal
7.0
By the Grace of God (2018)
A damning account of a cover-up by the Catholic church in France
7.8
Wolf (2013)
An ex-con tries to shift his life with kickboxing in this raw, black and white crime drama