That poster, along with the English-language title change, something of a come-on to sell this debut feature by French co-writer/director Zeno Graton as yet another ‘coming-of-gay’ tale. Nearly a genre of its own these days. But the story really isn’t going there, not that queer romance between two juvie jailees isn’t an important part of the story, it’s just not the main one. Nor a sexual revelation to either. The main motivating factors have more to do with developing minds & mores, immature judgement still short on self-control, unable to handle the pressure of a countdown to freedom. On his way to early conditional parole, assuming he can keep his impulsive troublemaking under wraps, is Joe (Khalil Ben Gharbia), a 17-yr-old arab kid with a history of breaking out. He’s started a prison affair with Julien De Saint Jean’s William, a tougher tattooed type, newly returned to juvie jail after a stint at ‘The Castle,’ grown up prison, where the life is considerably rougher. The crisis that develops spills over after Joe, who’s already destroyed the relationship by not telling William of his imminent release, is unexpectedly returned for an extra three months. Graton has a great subject here, showing the ways & rules of this fascinating, even nurturing facility for wayward youth. A place that might indeed look like its original title (PARADISE) to any incarcerated Stateside Juvie. (If you’ve ever seen the difference between a French school cafeteria lunch and an American one, you’ll get the idea.) Such caring, concern & resources. Is it accurate? Graton errs in making the young inmates (as well as the supportive staff) so fit & handsome, you could do a fashion magazine layout with this crew. But he doesn’t overdo much else and dramatically knows how to pull off a neat narrative ellipsis.
DOUBLE-BILL/LINK: For a worst case scenario of an Arab kid not in the juvenile jail system, Jacques Audiard’s startling UN PROPHÈTE / A PROPHET/’09 with a career-making debut from Tahar Rahim. https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2022/06/un-prophete-prophet-2009.html
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