Young & Beautiful (2013)

After losing her virginity, Isabelle takes up a secret life as a call girl, meeting her clients for hotel-room trysts. Throughout, she remains curiously aloof, showing little interest in the encounters themselves or the money she makes.

Director:

François Ozon

Writer:

François Ozon

Stars:

Marine Vacth, Géraldine Pailhas, Frédéric Pierrot

3 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marine Vacth	...	Isabelle
Géraldine Pailhas	...	Sylvie
Frédéric Pierrot	...	Patrick
Fantin Ravat	...	Victor
Johan Leysen	...	Georges Ferriere
Charlotte Rampling	...	Alice
Nathalie Richard	...	Véro
Djédjé Apali	...	Peter (as Djedje Apali)
Lucas Prisor	...	Felix
Laurent Delbecque	...	Alex
Jeanne Ruff	...	Claire
Carole Franck	...	La policière
Olivier Desautel	...	Le policier
Serge Hefez	...	Le psychiatre
Akéla Sari	...	Mouna

Storyline

French teenager Isabelle is spending her summer holiday with her middle-class family in the south of France and decides to lose her virginity with German teenager Felix. Then she returns to Paris with her mother Sylvie, her stepfather Patrick and her younger brother Victor. Then Isabelle works as a call girl using the nickname Lea, meeting old men. She feels affection for her client Georges that is married with a daughter. When Georges dies from a heart attack while having sex with Isabelle in a hotel, she flees but the police investigate and identify her. The detectives in charge of the investigation disclose to Sylvie, who is devastated.

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Plot Keywords:

student prostitute | sex scene | male nudity | coming of age | prostitute | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The poem recited in class is "On n'est pas sérieux quand on a 17 ans" by Arthur Rimbaud. Another poem used is "Une fois seulement", by Anne Hébert.

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Quotes

L'homme de la Mercedes: What's your name?
Isabelle: Isabelle.
L'homme de la Mercedes: Isabelle... What a lovely name. And you're 17. Have you ever done this before?
Isabelle: Yes, what do you want?
L'homme de la Mercedes: A blowjob but without condom.
Isabelle: Sure.
L'homme de la Mercedes: [after they have sex at the backseat of the car] Wow. You're pretty good at this for a 17 year old girl. Do you know what they say?
Isabelle: What?
L'homme de la Mercedes: Once a whore, always a whore!
[laughs]
[...]

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Connections

Featured in At the Movies: Cannes Film Festival 2013 (2013)

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Soundtracks

Concerto in G Minor, R.V. 576
Written by Antonio Vivaldi

User Reviews

A good film

This film tells the story of a teenage middle class girl who explores her sexuality by becoming a prostitute.

"Young and Beautiful" shows a lot of skin, but little of the mind. I mean this in a good way though, because it keeps Isabelle's life choices mysterious. When it does show Isabelle's mind (in the scene where she talks to the psychologist), she opens up and shows her true emotions that have been suppressed. Isabelle's short confession is enough to provoke much thought, and makes the film more sophisticated. It's just like the scene towards the end, when she switches on her phone, her brief facial expression is already telling us a lot.

The plot is not as tight or thrilling as Ozon's previous film "In the House", but it is still enjoyable as it lingers my mind after watching it.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [France] Official site [Japan]

Country:

France

Language:

French German

Release Date:

25 April 2014 (USA)

Also Known As:

Young & Beautiful

Filming Locations:

Le Pradet, Var, France

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$4,607, 27 April 2014

Gross USA:

$61,067

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$9,757,417

Company Credits

Production Co:

Mandarin Films, Mars Films, France 2 Cinéma

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1