Blue MPAA Rating: R Entertainment: +3 Content: -2

In French, with English subtitles, BLUE ponders the plight of Julie (Juliette Binoche), whose life has been shattered by the death of her husband and young daughter in an auto accident. Her husband was an acclaimed French composer who was completing his Concerto for Europe to celebrate the European unity pact. Julie copes by isolating herself from her past, shunning friends, selling off all her possessions, and stoically refusing to show any grief. She flees from her husband's business associate Olivier (Benoit Regent), spurns the friendship of those in her new apartment building, and even refuses to listen to the young man who witnessed the accident. When she discovers that her husband had been keeping a mistress, she finally opens up, letting some signs of grief slip out. She even offers to help her husband's troubled mistress. Her interest in life starts to return, and she rekindles her friendship with Olivier. Beautiful music permeates the movie, culminating in her flashbacks of those who have tried to reach out to her. An artsy movie, definitely not for the average moviegoer, BLUE is often slow-paced, but the music and character studies mesh at times into near-perfect harmony.

For an R-rated French movie, surprisingly little objectionable material works its way into BLUE. Even given the translation, which is mostly excellent, two moderate crudities and one obscenity appear in the subtitles. Twice when Julie visits a neighbor who works at a topless bar, brief frontal female nudity is shown. Though several references are made to intercourse, it is only implied twice between Julie and Olivier, but the camera pans away. An audible sigh came from the audience as the camera focused on a noticeably pregnant woman begging a cigarette, a rude interruption to an otherwise moving scene. As Julie starts to come out of her shell, she shows herself to be generous and caring, offering her home to the mistress in need and rushing to the aid of a prostitute who lives in her building. The words from I Cor 13:2 appear on the screen and I Cor is listed in the closing credits: "Though I have the gift of prophecy...if I do not have love, I have nothing." The final one-third of the movie, especially the ending, is very moving and has a definite Christian message.

Preview Reviewer: Alice Anderson
Distributor: Miramax Films, 18 E. 48th St., Ste. 1601, NY, NY 10017