Full Speed (1996)

A brief extract of four kids' lives somewhere in France. Quentin, who won a writers contest and now pays more attention to his career as an author than to his friends, beautiful Julie, his ... See full summary »

Director:

Gaël Morel

Writers:

Gaël Morel (original scenario), Gaël Morel (adaptation)

Stars:

Élodie Bouchez, Stéphane Rideau, Pascal Cervo

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Élodie Bouchez	...	Julie (as Elodie Bouchez)
Stéphane Rideau	...	Jimmy
Pascal Cervo	...	Quentin
Meziane Bardadi	...	Samir
Romain Auger	...	Rick / Le couple de la ruelle
Salim Kechiouche	...	Jamel
Mohammed Dib	...	Karim
Frédéric Fargier	...	Bande á Jimmy
Patrice Thomas	...	Bande á Jimmy
Youcef Ninach	...	Bande á Jimmy
Missoum Laimene	...	Bande á Jimmy
Laurent Diomande	...	Bande á Jimmy
Ryad Benkouider	...	Bande á Jimmy
Paul Morel	...	Le père de Quentin
Bernard Villeneuve	...	Le journaliste

Storyline

A brief extract of four kids' lives somewhere in France. Quentin, who won a writers contest and now pays more attention to his career as an author than to his friends, beautiful Julie, his girl-friend, much more mature than she looks, falling in love with Quentin's very best friend Jimmy, who is kind of stuck in his unability of self-expression and grown up under bad social circumstances. And there is the shy boy Samir, exiled from Algeria, who lost his "brother" and only friend some time ago. Samir heavily falls in love with Quentin, but he can't handle it...

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Plot Keywords:

gay cruising | gay club | gay kiss | gay slur | gay | 

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Taglines:

Know what it's like to be young?

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

16 January 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Full Speed

Filming Locations:

Villefranche-sur-Saône, Rhône, Rhône-Alpes, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Magouric Productions, Téléma, France 2 Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

References Johnny Guitar (1954)

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Soundtracks

Mitzva-Tants
Performed by Thierry Josson
Magouric Production

User Reviews

Full Speed

Gael Morel's study of the tangled relationships of four teens is fairly sophisticated in structure and theme but, I suspect has little of worth to say to anyone outside of France. The universal themes it touches upon have all been explored before in greater depth and sensitivity, and those themes particular to France are, by their nature, unlikely to arouse interest in foreign viewers. That isn't too say that this film isn't interesting enough, even though it refuses to be hurried and so takes a while to engage the viewer. Probably one of its biggest strengths is in the way it portrays teenagers as rational, thinking adults, capable of maintaining (for a while, at least) adult relationships. Too often these days, teens are poorly written stereotypes – either sulking and non-communicative, or sex-crazed and drunk.

While the film is primarily character-driven, it unfortunately feels it necessary to contrive a plot in the second half that leans too heavily toward melodrama, and the viewer is left with the unwelcome feeling – surely not intended – that these characters are mere pawns playing out preordained roles. One character dies a lingering death from a blow to the head, another reaps what he sows, losing everything (emotionally) but learning nothing. When you think about it, that's the kind of stuff Warners were filming with Bette Davis in the 40s, and it damages a film that was made in the nineties.

Despite this, Full Speed is worth checking out. For the most part it is a thoughtful, intelligent depiction of the emotional and sociological influences on modern-day teens.