Movie: Young & Beautiful (Jeune & jolie)

Some days ago I found a free evening to watch this movie, Young & Beautiful (IMDB, Wiki). Strange enough, the movie is titled 17歳 in Japan – seems the addiction of some parts of the Japanese society to under-aged women is the driving force here.

The movie recounts the story of Isabelle, a high school girl with a profitable side job as call girl. One of her regular (mostly odler) clients, Georges, passes away in the act, which creates a bit of discomfort for Isabelle. She is tracked down, handed to police, and has a strict surveillance by her family afterwards, before having a strange encounter at the end.

The movie does not spare with erotic scenes, but never drops into primitive pornography. Depicting a complicated situation without simple answers, the spectator is left to himself to decide on which side his sympathies lie. A great movie without the all-to-often too simple answers.

Marine Vacth acting as Isabelle gives an outstanding performance, managing to combine a distanced attitude towards both the encounters and the money, as well as her (at times) intimate relationship with friends and family. Well worth watching.