A complacent, melancholic literature student (Adele Exarchopoulos) finishing up her last year of high school meets a slightly older, and more assured aspiring artist (Lea Seydoux), and sparks fly as the two embark on a fleetingly passionate love affair. Blue is the Warmest Color, the Palme D'or winner of this year, arrives now in the U.S. with the imposed subheading The Three Hour Sexually Graphic Lesbian Movie, a minimization which is only partially fair. Abdellatif Kechiche's film is really just a well observed, coming of age character study that probably could have been told in about half the time. And yes it has some pretty outrageous sex scenes. The film is intimately shot, mostly in closeup, and its two female leads give daring, absolutely amazing performances.
