Presentation
"Love" is an erotic film (rated 18+) directed by Gaspar Noé in 2015 and officially selected for the Cannes Film Festival (out of competition) the same year.
The film runs for 2 hours and 10 minutes and features Karl Glusman as Murphy, Aomi Muyock as Electra, and Klara Kristin as Omi.
The distinctive feature of "Love" is that the actors do not simulate the sex scenes, and these scenes are present throughout the film.
The Story (Contains Spoilers)
Murphy, the main character, an American living in Paris, wakes up in his bed next to Omi and to the sound of a crying baby. This is the beginning of the film… well, not really. The awakening follows a long and enthusiastic sex scene with Electra.
In "Love," the story unfolds in reverse, starting with the end and gradually revealing the characters' past as the film progresses.
The baby is Gaspard, the son of Murphy and Omi, conceived by accident after a condom broke during a sexual encounter between the two. This is the intrigue of the story that you will understand later on.
Because "Love," as the title suggests, is about a passionate love story between Murphy and Electra. Electra, a French woman comfortable with her body and enjoying life, sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll… no, not the music. Just the first two.
Electra and Murphy are madly in love, pushing the boundaries of their sexuality together, until the day they both question their main fantasy: having sex with another woman.
This is where Omi, the 16-year-old neighbor, comes into the picture. Electra invites her to join them for a drink one evening. It doesn't take much more for the three of them to end up in bed and fulfill their fantasy.
The threesome, which we have the pleasure of appreciating – all sex scenes being explicit – leads to Electra being absent one evening. Omi is then invited by Murphy to share a joint, which inevitably leads to the bedroom. And this is where the triggering event occurs that will jeopardize the mutual love between Electra and Murphy: the condom breaks, and Murphy finishes inside.
It is only later (which actually happened earlier) that we learn Omi is somewhat conservative and has a particular view on abortion: it's a no.
However, this does not stop our two protagonists, who share a love filled with ups and downs and practice a libertine relationship. Yes, Electra has already slept with the director of a Parisian art gallery; she is an artist, just like Murphy. Meanwhile, Murphy has had a fling with someone named Paula in the bathroom at a party, returning to Electra with his fly open.
After a confrontation between the art gallery director and Murphy, and a brief detour involving a police interrogation that introduces the couple to the joys of libertine evenings, we finally understand the beginning of the story.
At the start of the film, when Murphy wakes up next to Omi, he complains in a voiceover about his life, the mother of his son, and seems burdened and self-destructive. He listens to his voicemail and receives a message from Electra's mother, who has been searching for her daughter for several months without any news. This is when the unraveling of Murphy's past begins, as he remembers his chaotic love story with Electra.
Our opinion
"Love" is definitely a beautiful experience that is worth exploring. It's clear why it was selected for the Cannes Film Festival. It is extremely difficult to combine a genuine narrative with non-simulated sex scenes without falling into pornography.
From my perspective, it is a success for Gaspar Noé and the actors who managed to convey the passionate love that exists between the protagonists. The sex scenes are never vulgar and exude enthusiasm, making for a beautiful artistic performance.
But "Love" is much more than just an erotic film. It is a film that explores existential subjects such as abortion, drug use and the amplifying effect they can have during sex, libertine relationships, and our own sexuality. The quest for happiness and sexual satisfaction, the pursuit of fantasies – according to Electra, sex under opium is the most powerful she has ever experienced.
The film also questions the dynamics of male-female relationships. Murphy says something in a voiceover that amused me: "Maybe it's better not to lie (N.B., to Omi, about the phone call from Electra's mother). Living with a woman is like sharing your bed with the CIA, no secrets!"
In short, if you feel like diving into an erotic film – something I must admit we don't often do, as they are usually of poor quality – "Love" is definitely worth trying.
Who knows? It might even spark some interesting discussions in our chatrooms.