Film Review: Young & Beautiful (FRA 2013) by François Ozon

Content:  In this podcast, we talk about the 2013 French film “Young & Beautiful” by François Ozon.  The film follows young Isabelle, who spends her summer vacation in southern France. Back in Paris, Isabelle begins a double life.  The movie paints a slow, profound picture of Isabelle and her search for self-worth without empathy. Many questions remain unanswered, especially the 'why' behind her choices, and the film offers no easy answers or moral judgments.  We highlight “Young & Beautiful” as a significant coming-of-age film that deals with themes of identity and loneliness.Plot:  The French teenager Isabelle spends her summer vacation with her bourgeois family in the south of France.  After returning to Paris with her mother, stepfather, and brother, Isabelle begins working as an escort under the alias Lea. She meets mostly older men in hotel rooms, remaining strangely detached and showing little interest in the encounters or the money she earns.  She only feels affection for one of her clients, Georges, who is married and has a daughter. When Georges dies of a heart attack Isabelle flees the scene.