Criminal Lovers: Amazon.ca: Natacha Rgnier, Jrmie Renier, Miki Manojlovic, Salim Kechiouche, Yasmine Belmadi, Bernard Maume, Jean-Louis Debard, Catherine Vierne, Marielle Coubaillon, Olivier Papot, Gil Demurger, Agns Accaria, Franois Ozon, Annabelle Perrichon, Arthur Rimbaud, Marcia Romano, Marina de Van: DVD

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Customer Reviews

5 Reviews

5 star:		(2)
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Average Customer Review

3.4 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Romeo and Juliet Meet Hansel & Gretel,, Dec 9 2003

By

Dr. Whom (Newton,, MA, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Criminal Lovers (DVD)

I must defend this adorable, intelligent film from any pettiness that might keep people from it. A film school Prof. I know showed this to his students, and it was the hit of the year. The brilliant prologue set-up says more about sex and love than an entire Hollywood season. As the plot unfolds, the boy murders another boy at the girl's request; they are captured by a troll while hiding the body. The young man learns from his captor in the "Greek" style that there is more to love than pleasing a girlfriend; by the "end", Romeo/Hansel might be a "better man" -- or, he might just have fallen in love with his captor (another case of Patty Hearst capture rapture). The actors are gorgeous, ugly, and intimate. The psychology is Shakespearean in depth and ambiguity. Among the GREAT films, and a gorgeous DVD.

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3.0 out of 5 stars A fairy tale for postmodern grownups, Oct 4 2003

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Nysocboy (Wisconsin) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Criminal Lovers (DVD)

After murdering the abusive bully Said, high school lovers Luc and Alice run away, get lost in the woods, and encounter "L'homme de foret," who can only be described as a fairytale ogre. He starves the girl and feeds (fattens up?) the boy, incidentally sleeps with him.

This is advertised as a [alternative]-themed movie, but it is aggressively, unabashadly heterosexist. Luc's ... experience with the Man of the Forest is as skittish and underplayed as a episode of "Will and Grace," and it only serves to boost his confidence sufficiently for him to have loud, graphic [physical activity] with his girlfriend later.

It is, however, postmodern, with disparate and contradictory pieces of the story not quite falling into place. Why did Alice really want Said murdered? Why was Luc willing to do it?

Jeremie Renier (Luc) has played [alternative lifestyle] several times, but his only film available in the U.S. is the heterosexist ... "Brotherhood of the Wolf." The gorgeous Salim Kechioche (Salim), who doesn't have nearly enough locker-room and shower scenes, played straight in ... "Full Speed."

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3.0 out of 5 stars A Gay postmodern retelling of "Hansel and Gretel", Jan 9 2003

By

Timothy Hulsey (Charlottesville, VA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Criminal Lovers (DVD)

If you like the new Gay postmodern cinema, Francois Ozon's _Criminal Lovers_ isn't half bad. Three scenes in the film display Ozon's formidable talents as a director, but between those good moments there's only so much dead air. The pretty but uncharismatic young leads don't much help the situation, either.

The story, which borrows heavily (and obviously) from "Hansel and Gretel," could work well as a short film, but is much too slight for feature length. Ozon tries to overcome this problem by creating an extensive backstory for the protagonists. Problem is, that backstory is pretty boring (plus we've seen it before, in Larry Clark's _Bully_ and a host of other troubled-teen movies). Meanwhile, the psychodrama at the center of the film is underdeveloped -- and even worse, it's not half as kinky or transgressive as it pretends to be.

This said, the final fifteen minutes of _Criminal Lovers_ are excellent. If you're interested, I'd advise you to rent this one.

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Most recent customer reviews

1.0 out of 5 stars Misleading Title, Terrible Film!!! Do Not Watch Or Rent.....
This was absolutely THE WORST foreign film I have ever had the unfortunate pleasure of veiwing. I was expecting to see the two stars of this movie engaged in criminal activity &... Read more

Published on Dec 2 2003 by Pierre Branch

5.0 out of 5 stars fabulous!
I am a filmmaker and this film rocks.