The Lost Boys

Le Paradis is a triumph of storytelling with superb acting from all the caste, excellent cinematography, and an enchanting soundtrack. The characters of Joe and William are brought to life by the talented Khalil Ben Gharbia and Julien De Saint Jean who have wonderful chemistry together. Joe and William's yearning is palpable throughout the film, which is a testament to the actor's ability. The story is set in a juvenile delinquents reform centre, where a group of boys are managed by a small team of staff who run the their day to day activities. The struggles that lead one to become a juvenile delinquent is breathtakingly told when Joe performs his rap composition. Ben Gharbia's emotional performance in this scene really brought home the tragedy of his life, his anger at being from a broken home, his feelings of alienation arising from being of an ethnic minority, and his pain at how hopeless and bleak his future seems. Meanwhile De Saint Jean perfectly embodies his character William who, despite his reputation and appearance, is remarkably affectionate, sensitive, talented and has a rich inner world where his imagination takes flight, as evident through his drawings. His fondness for Joe immediately becomes evident when he chooses him as the subject of his black box photography project. This scene includes extended shots with gorgeous cinematography, of the characters gazing intently at each other, which speaks volumes about their budding emotions. Later, William's silent tears, shed in solitude, emphatically convey his intense loneliness and sorrow in the suffocating setting of the reform centre. A really special sentiment expressed beautifully throughout the movie is that of yearning. We witness William and Joe, full of hopeless yearning, constantly trying to reach for each other through the wall that separates their rooms. Joe plays William a love song through the wall which is heart-wrenchingly romantic. Then, they try to communicate by knocking, before finally happily discovering that their voice can be heard on the other side. William, who has a fascination for snakes as they are believed to be guardians of paradise according to viking legends, goes so far as to draw snakes all over the wall that separates him from Joe, subtly stating that Joe is his paradise. All these scenes are heartbreaking and convey the depth of their feelings and challenges in ways that leave the viewer is awe. Another wonderful thing about this movie is that Joe and William's intimacy is shown rather than spoken; William hides his radio for Joe in a place he knows Joe will find it when Joe's own radio is confiscated, Joe gets a tattoo from William and it's the snake protecting paradise design which means so much to William, they steal away moments when they can and sit together in knowing silence when they can't. The screenplay is simply superb and says what it needs to without adding anything superfluous. The music is heavenly and fits perfectly with every scene. I especially loved the enchanting song a little past the halfway point, which was a rendition of Soltane Ghalbha (King of Hearts, Aref) in another language. It played to a beautiful and romantic sequence of William and Joe growing closer which was really moving. Congratulations and well done Bachar Mar-Khalifé on his excellent soundtrack. A special mention must be made for the secondary characters who played their roles with heart and realism. Well done! Overall Le Paradis is a beautiful film that will make your heart ache for its brave, unlikely lovers.

The Lost Boys Basically a French borstal mostly full of Arab boys. We watched the mundanity of their days whilst they awaited release or placement. There was an effective "rant" scene by Joe that indicated a rage born out of disadvantage and ethnic discrimination. This was very much one side of the story as can be expected in this type of movie. The script was vestigial as best but we had some committed performances. The subplot themes of dislocation, a budding same sex relationship, identity politics and parental love were touched on. To my mind the "gay" elements were portrayed with a heterosexual audience in mind and lacked authenticity. The dominating theme of rehabilitation and release did not play out well as it seemed obvious to me these children were in no way ready for the real world. At the very least they needed trades and apprenticeships. At best this is a 3 outta 10, I was bored at the predictable stereotypes and there was just nothing new here.

The image I retain from this film is not actually an original one but it's something I'm sure prisoners do in every prison all over the world. It's the communication both spiritual and physical through the wall of their adjoining cells. I have to say Jean Genet did it better in "Un chant d'amour" but here it was germane and poignant. The setting for this is a sort of French borstal. The sentences are indeterminate as in the former English system but decided by the judge and not the officers and governor. This leads to a tragic conclusion. Two lads fall in love within the walls. Beautiful Khalil Ben Gharbia as Joe, who played such a good rôle on Nattåget, and Julien de Saint Jean as William snatch torrid moments together. The exposure of their affair leads to a foregone conclusion, one we might have guessed would happen. The film is just right at an hour and twenty three minutes; I wasn't bored for an instant. Heartily recommended.

I watched it premier here in The Netherlands and at first, I thought it was purposely mundane and boring but as the film progressed, it really grew upon me. Yes, the film centres around the lives of young men who are attempting to reform before going back into the outside world. This has certainly been done before and if you see the film through this perspective then yes, you will find it boring. But this film has a series of meta themes that resonant with both young people and more specifically young men today I.e. Living in a system whereby they play by the rules and they're still treated differently from others and how society seems to push for collectivism and functionality over individualism and creativity on top of the overtones of discrimination towards the non-white characters. The film is so nuanced in this regard, mixing in the likes of visual art, music, and dance to express these characters. I do personally see this film less as a gay film and more as a film where the home and the feeling of safety centres upon the people you love and this certainly fits the trend in films and books which centre more on male relationships. Really standout film with so many memorable moments, SPOILER like the dancing at the birthday party, the banging on the doors at the end of the film which will forever live in my mind.