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An unusual true drama, brought to the screen in muted tones by a very capable young cast. This piece challenges social mores, and may well be upsetting to those who cherish or idealise the innocence of youth. The film very candidly explores youth sexuality and notions of family, and in so doing asks questions that the viewer is expected to answer for themselves. Some viewers who are no longer in their youth themselves may be surprised and discomfited by the views and attitudes held by the youths depicted. I have been made to think about my own views and prejudices, and have not yet resettled my mind. I was, however, inexorably drawn in to explore the concepts of their world, and therefore forced to think. Part of their world has a seductive freedom, and part of it is deeply disturbing.
writers_reign
It would appear that either no one in the UK has watched this film or, if they have, have not seen fit to post a comment. When you append a note to a movie that it is 'based on real events' you can get away with just about anything. Nine times out of ten the 'real' events are both provincial and obscure and by definition known only to a few so that the filmmaker(s) - two in this case - can give free rein to their fancies. So here we have five inseparable young people, four male and one female with the four guys working as a reasonably successful boy-band and the girl functioning as a groupie in the sense that she has sex with all four, including her brother, Pierre, who, having been beaten to death, supplies what plot there is in the shape of Lucie (the girl, and his sister) engaging on an obsessive quest to discover the culprit or, as it transpires, culprits plural. The lyrical camera-work and almost mandatory nudity and simulated sex define it as 'art house' fodder and the non-linear unravelling of the plot confirms this status. Probably worth a look.
Roland E. Zwick
Based on a true story, the provocative and haunting French drama, "One to Another," is a lyrical, erotically-charged tale of forbidden love set within the context of a murder mystery. The story focuses on Lucie, a beautiful young woman in her early 20s, and her highly unorthodox relationship with four men who have been her inseparable "pals" since childhood. One of those men is her own bisexual brother, Pierre, whose death under mysterious circumstances serves as the catalyst for the movie's plot. In true Gallic fashion, "One to Another" seems somehow less concerned with the killing than with the way sex defines the lives of these characters, yet when the solution to the mystery finally comes, it is both shocking and profoundly disturbing in the truths it reveals about human nature.Probably only the French could get away with exploring sexuality from so many different angles in a single movie, and, true to form, "One to Another" plunges unflinchingly into topics that would normally never be broached in polite society. Lucie's quasi-incestuous relationship with Pierre, in particular, comes about as close to pushing the envelope as anything one is ever likely to find on screen (though Bertolucci's "The Dreamers," another popular French film from a few years back, dealt with a similar situation). And while the movie doesn't come right out and condemn the characters for their free-floating sexuality, it seems to imply that, without a clear moral compass to guide a person through life, even the most heinous of acts will finally be deemed acceptable.One problem with the movie is that, while Lucie is a beautifully realized and compelling character (brought to exquisite life by Lizzie Brochere), the same cannot be said for the boys in the story, who look, dress and act so much alike that it often becomes hard to differentiate them one from another (though, I hasten to add that the actors are all very good in their roles). This not only leads to confusion on the part of the viewer but to an imbalance in the chemistry of the story, since Lucie is so much more intriguing than the men with whom she's having all these relationships. That sense of disorientation is further compounded in the early stages of the movie by the fact that it takes awhile for us to realize that many of the scenes we are watching are actually flashbacks to earlier events. Once we are able to get our temporal bearings, however, this ceases to be a problem and the structure actually enhances the insightfulness of the film."One to Another" is definitely worth checking out, provided one is not easily offended by nudity, simulated sex scenes, or the exploration of troubling themes. Moreover, because the movie is blessed with artful direction (by Pascal Arnold and Jean-Marc Barr) and gorgeous cinematography (by Barr and Chris Keohane), the alluring imagery and sensuous rhythms ultimately cast a spell over the audience. And that kicker at the end will send you reeling.
agmancuso
We're told this was based on a true story. Okay. The potential was there for a truly powerful, shattering film. Well, it isn't. However, I stayed glued to the screen due to the beauty of the cast. The girl, a throwback to the cookie females of the 60's and the boys one more cinematic than the other. It is difficult to guess - and why should anyone care - the intention of the filmmakers. An art film this is not and it's not a commercial venture, not really. If money was their objective they could have gone all the way. No. The film sort of works because one feels titilated by those eyes and those looks. So if their intention was to titillate they succeeded, big time. I wish this story could be re told with the same cast but with a great imaginative, powerful filmmaker at the helm.
