This French language film is a slow-paced, introspective, social and psychological study.
A group of young adults, all largely unlikeable for the most part, are brought together on a creative writing course as part of a social project. Their tutor/mentor is a middle aged, middle class female author from Paris who seemingly has not much in common with them.
She is charged with inspiring the group to write a novel - a crime thriller - as a way of developing their character, confidence and self worth. The setting is a French coastal town that has perhaps seen better days, its past industrial shipbuilding prowess now just a memory.
Arguments among the group are quick to surface, and are mainly based on race, politics and prospects. The film clearly sets out to use these group conflicts to raise French cultural issues, and while that is perfectly legitimate it does seem at times that these arguments surface without a great deal of provocation or resolution.
As the group dynamics develop, the film focuses on the relationship between the teacher, Olivia, and one particularly troubled young man, Antoine. Dabbling in far right politics and militia, he appears to have issues with isolation and violence and is evermore on the fringes of the group.
Olivia and Antoine become more intensely interested in each other, and the film does a very good job of keeping us guessing where their relationship is headed. There are sexual tensions, threats of violence and mutual (unhealthy) intrigue building between them in equal measure as the film progresses, and this adds a dose of intensity and drama into what otherwise is a fairly uneventful social study.
Overall, this is a well made though somewhat flat study of political and cultural issues in France, lightly exploring things such as race, immigration, the far right, liberalism and de-industrialisation. The film is lifted by the psychological drama between troubled Antoine and articulate Olivia, but for the most part remains a passable social commentary that raises some interesting cultural questions - in particular the prospects for young adults who may feel out of touch with an ever changing France.
Very much a film for those who like to think about political and social concerns rather than feast on fast paced action.
