Grande École (French)

I think this film had too much of everything. It has mix of class (high vs low), race, economic status, sexuality, history and weirdness; all together in one mix. What happen is we get a mash-up of everything without being very clear on what exactly happened at the end of the film. And its not one but many questions that are left open and unanswered.

Paul comes form a high class family of contractors. He has been raised to be brilliant and racist against Arab workers. He starts college in an alive Paris school to learn about management but thats not his forte. He is more artistically inclined and is seeing Agnes, a liberal arts university student. Paul's room mate is Louis-Arnault, a very good looking business major with penchant for water polo. Paul and his girlfriend have a stable relationship but Paul and Agnes are not doing too well. Paul and Louis-Arnault become really good and very good friends. Paul soon develops physical crush for Louis-Arnault but soon arrives an Arab worker Mecir and Paul and him soon get into love and physical relationship. Although clearly Paul still lusts over Louis-Arnault. AGnes soon realizes what's going on between Paul and Louis-Arnault and proposes that her and Paul both seduce Louis-Arnault and is she wins, Paul will give up his gay tendency and if he wins, Agnes will leave and never say anything. Agnes comes very close to getting physical with Louis-Arnault but set is stopped by his girlfriend. There is tension everywhere. There comes a point when Paul has to choose between Mecir and Louis-Arnault and he chooses latter but he also soon leaves the apartment to move in with his girlfriend. In the end we just see that Paul is boarding train and going somewhere. It is clear he has left Agnes but we don't know if he is going to Paul or someone else.

Acting by all principal characters was top-notch and production value were high but thats not all. Sadly, the screenplay incorporates a lot of things. It is not difficult to identify with paul and his behavior. The scene where e is awkward in the locker room seeing so many men naked while struggling with his homosexual tendencies at the same time is done very well. Paul has to choose not only between men and women, between respectable conformity and self fulfillment, but also between Louis-Arnault and Mecir. Talking of this, I must mention that there is a lot of frontal male nudity which made this film a little pleasant to watch. All the relationships between individuals was pretty complex but it was only Mecir, who truly loved Paul and is totally heart-broken to see him go in the end. Also whey they did not focus much on third room mate was a little strange. He just kept going in and out randomly. I am not too sure what was the significance of the scene where Louis-Arnault tells Paul that he knows Paul loved him but what did he expect him to do. I was a little confused there.

The film is still worth watching once, even if it ultimately frustrates you in the end. (5.5/10)