I gave seven for the absolutely mesmerizing cast. This couple formed by Guillaume Gallienne (Les garçons et Guillaume à table, Yves Saint Laurent), one of the most versatile and surprising French actors (he's also part of la Comedy Francaise theater company), always powerful in his creativity, and a very talented young actress,like Adele Exarchopoulos (La vie d'Adele) who can explode with emotions, seemed odd on paper but it works, like all the other actors (notable mention to the wonderful Stephanie Cleau). Fortunately, I must say, because the director Pierre Godeau, doesn't seem able to cope properly with the sensitive matter in the plot. A love story in prison between the jail director and a prisoner, inspired to a real fact that happened to "Emma" , a young woman involved in France, in the vicious kidnapping and homicide of a young Jewish man by a street gang. None of the criminal case is present in the movie. Godeau sublimates the characters in the world apart of the prison, which can be cool, but he hasn't a real direction. Here everything is left in mid-air, or reduced to simplistic answers. The actors nonetheless make the movie compelling.
11 Reviews
Not great !...but good
mahjoubrahma17 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
except the fact that some scenes looked fake and so cliché,.. i would say the performance is rather satisfying,i was touched,it really grabbed my attention and got me emotional,and i think it's mainly due to the chemistry between the main characters that served very well the story. Guillaume and Adele 's passionate performances,managed somehow to bring believable romance onto screen without doing too much.. it was heartwarming!i liked it!
Hard to believe it's "based on a true story"
Groverdox15 March 2021
"Down by Love" is one of those movies where the one or two-line plot description on IMDB tells you everything that happens in the movie. It holds no surprises whatsoever.
In case you missed that description, the movie is about a "forbidden love affair" between a married warden and a new arrival at his prison, a sultry, enigmatic young woman played by "Blue is the Warmest Colour"'s Adele Exarchopolous.
Yes, you know where this is going right from the first frame: they're going to start having sex, the man will fall in love/become obsessed, he will take bigger risks to see the girl, he'll be found out.
The movie is not a romance, as it might have been, and nor is it an erotic thriller, as it also easily could have been. Therefore with this material we are left only with drama, which indicates the movie will have to play it straight, showing the love affair as a staid sequence of events with a conclusion it doesn't even pretend we can't see coming. It features some rather frank sex scenes, but eroticism is clearly not on the cards for such a serious movie, and these are nothing out of the ordinary for a French flick.
The only thing I didn't expect from "Down by Love" came after I had finished watching it. I went on IMDB to write this review, and I saw that the movie is based on a true story. I never would have guessed that: the completely rote plot developments seems to come out of an outline from "Screenwriting for Dummies". If it's really "based on a true story", the filmmakers needed to study that story more closely. They may have come across details that could have set it apart.
I will finish by saying that there was one example of this lack of truth that I found particularly objectionable, and that is the Adele Exarchopolous character. This characterisation is indeed the stuff of erotic thrillers or softcore porn. She is only present to arouse the warden. We see barely anything of her personality, but plenty of her body; the movie doesn't even explain why she's in jail in the first place! And yet this is based on a true story? Did they just skip the bits with her in it?
This is all the more obvious when one considers that the main actor really doesn't evince much sympathy, and nor does his character generate much interest. It's the female lead that gets us thinking, but she seems to be playing a male fantasy, rather than just inspiring one in the protagonist.
Perhaps the filmmakers were more sympathetic to the warden's story than they wanted us to know?
In case you missed that description, the movie is about a "forbidden love affair" between a married warden and a new arrival at his prison, a sultry, enigmatic young woman played by "Blue is the Warmest Colour"'s Adele Exarchopolous.
Yes, you know where this is going right from the first frame: they're going to start having sex, the man will fall in love/become obsessed, he will take bigger risks to see the girl, he'll be found out.
The movie is not a romance, as it might have been, and nor is it an erotic thriller, as it also easily could have been. Therefore with this material we are left only with drama, which indicates the movie will have to play it straight, showing the love affair as a staid sequence of events with a conclusion it doesn't even pretend we can't see coming. It features some rather frank sex scenes, but eroticism is clearly not on the cards for such a serious movie, and these are nothing out of the ordinary for a French flick.
The only thing I didn't expect from "Down by Love" came after I had finished watching it. I went on IMDB to write this review, and I saw that the movie is based on a true story. I never would have guessed that: the completely rote plot developments seems to come out of an outline from "Screenwriting for Dummies". If it's really "based on a true story", the filmmakers needed to study that story more closely. They may have come across details that could have set it apart.
I will finish by saying that there was one example of this lack of truth that I found particularly objectionable, and that is the Adele Exarchopolous character. This characterisation is indeed the stuff of erotic thrillers or softcore porn. She is only present to arouse the warden. We see barely anything of her personality, but plenty of her body; the movie doesn't even explain why she's in jail in the first place! And yet this is based on a true story? Did they just skip the bits with her in it?
This is all the more obvious when one considers that the main actor really doesn't evince much sympathy, and nor does his character generate much interest. It's the female lead that gets us thinking, but she seems to be playing a male fantasy, rather than just inspiring one in the protagonist.
Perhaps the filmmakers were more sympathetic to the warden's story than they wanted us to know?
An Excellent but Underrated Film
j-a-julian22 July 2020
I confess, I was already in love with Adéle Exarchopolus as a result of her brilliant performance in Blue is the Warmest Color. Down By Love is based on a true story deftly told by Pierre Godeau. The director never reveals the reason that Anna (Exarchopolous) is in prison and concentrates on the complex relationship between Anna and the prison director Jean. Jean is married with a loving wife and a wonderful daughter. Jean's wife, Stéphanie exhibits amazing tolerance and love as she becomes aware of the unfolding relationship between Jean and Anna. Anna is played perfectly by Exarchopolus capitalizing on her natural but sultry demeanor. Not only is Exarchoplous easy on the eye but she is an accomplished actor who portrays these complex emotions flawlessly. The end, as in many French films, is left open ... as an eternal romantic I am allowed to create the ending I really desire in my mind. Well worth watching.
Cell-By Date
writers_reign24 June 2016
Warning: Spoilers
The three central performances keep you watching right up to the Fade Out but against this the director doesn't seem to know what genre he is working in so it holds the interest in spite of inept direction. On paper it's a simple premise: The warden of a women's prison becomes sexually involved with one of the prisoners. The warden is portrayed initially as being happily married with a young daughter and a healthy sexual relationship with his wife, who also works in the Prison Service. As warden he could, presumably, sleep with any and every one of the prisoners but has clearly not been tempted until a new girl arrives. The prisoner instigates the affair and soon the warden is taking enormous risks that put his job at stake and costs him his marriage but what is never made clear is whether or not the girl is manipulating him. These are minor beefs in a movie where the acting is everything.
Bad Clichée
annameier-8858116 July 2016
This movie really is just a bad clichée.
Mid aged prison warden (Guillaume Gallienne aged 44) falls for his much younger and very beautiful new female prisoner (Adèle Exarchopoulos aged 23).
The story line is all about his attraction for her. And it's extremely flat and boring. We don't know her objectives. Which could be made in an interesting manner, except it's not. And there is nothing extraordinarily interesting about this story, except that it is set in a prison.
The film is basically a creepy old man lusting after a beautiful young girl. Not exactly new story... There is no depht to it either, it really is as shallow as it sounds.
Mid aged prison warden (Guillaume Gallienne aged 44) falls for his much younger and very beautiful new female prisoner (Adèle Exarchopoulos aged 23).
The story line is all about his attraction for her. And it's extremely flat and boring. We don't know her objectives. Which could be made in an interesting manner, except it's not. And there is nothing extraordinarily interesting about this story, except that it is set in a prison.
The film is basically a creepy old man lusting after a beautiful young girl. Not exactly new story... There is no depht to it either, it really is as shallow as it sounds.
Carmen, anyone?
bob9981 November 2021
This is no masterpiece, as I've noted with a rating of 4. Exarchopoulos is a limited actress, and she's in practically every scene. Gallienne is a more than capable actor, but his part falls into blandness most of the time. The supporting cast do their best with a limited script. It was nice to see Marie Riviere, star of several Rohmer films, as the girl's mother. The story of a decent man falling for a trashy girl is hardly new; it's the plot of one of the greatest operas, Carmen. At least in that work, the audience is not required to guess at the motivations of the two leads.
Sensual Love Story
mariusbv-356123 July 2021
I'll admit that it's hard for me to watch a love story all the way to the end. And that's because it's hard to watch so many clichés and fake sweetness made up to resemble a young girl's idealistic dreams.
So I did enjoy watching this movie. It has many selling points, like for instance the refined acting of the protagonists or Adele's sensuality and ability to display complex feelings and create intimacy.
But I feel there's too much sex involved, which makes sense in a way, since the nature of attraction between the two of them was rather sensual. I don't mind watching nudes but I wanted to recommend this to a woman or two and I realized I risk being considered a pervert. Not that I'm not but I don't want my mother to know. LOL.
So I did enjoy watching this movie. It has many selling points, like for instance the refined acting of the protagonists or Adele's sensuality and ability to display complex feelings and create intimacy.
But I feel there's too much sex involved, which makes sense in a way, since the nature of attraction between the two of them was rather sensual. I don't mind watching nudes but I wanted to recommend this to a woman or two and I realized I risk being considered a pervert. Not that I'm not but I don't want my mother to know. LOL.
Imprisoned
kosmasp11 April 2023
No pun intended - I doubt there are any warm colors in prison ... on the other hand, they do have some painting sessions too, so there is that. But this is about a forbidden love - about what it does to people who should not love each other - mentally and otherwise. And it may not be the one in prison who actually is ... a prisoner of love .... well you know what I mean.
All that aside, the acting is incredible. And Adele really bares it all - so yes a lot of nudity, which you should not have issues with, if you want to watch the movie. But it also is quite straining when you think about the relationships of the characters.
Very well laid out - and it sort of makes sense - stuff like this happens and the movie is a reminder. Now you can blame one party or the other, depending on your moral compass .... but sometimes things just fall into place without anyone being able to stop them ... well those involved that is ... hurting others is the byproduct for sure. Not an easy watch, but quite passionate in more than one sense.
All that aside, the acting is incredible. And Adele really bares it all - so yes a lot of nudity, which you should not have issues with, if you want to watch the movie. But it also is quite straining when you think about the relationships of the characters.
Very well laid out - and it sort of makes sense - stuff like this happens and the movie is a reminder. Now you can blame one party or the other, depending on your moral compass .... but sometimes things just fall into place without anyone being able to stop them ... well those involved that is ... hurting others is the byproduct for sure. Not an easy watch, but quite passionate in more than one sense.
Disappointing
gem_nygirl17 January 2020
Warning: Spoilers
I found the two main characters bland and awful. The movie at times made me cringe. I did not find the actress or actor attractive just terrible acting. Being a French move I expected a little more class and romance than what Hollywood would make. This felt like a Hollywood movie. Old man going after a starved junkie who looks about 15. The characters look nothing like the real people they are portraying. I am giving it 2 stars because it held my interest I wanted to know what happens. Ending was confusing with no answers to what actually happens. A total turn off. Not sexy or romantic. Just pop and bang.
Not sure why this is rated so low
basebliman28 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
This is not a great movie, but it is a very good one. A man is a warden at a women's prison. He takes a liking to one of the inmates, but no funny business at first. She ends up confessing her love for him and that's when things get crazy. He sets up a job for her that allows for them to be alone together. That's when things start to get intimate and both experience the highs and lows of a forbidden romance. Aside from the fact that he's a warden, he also is married and has a daughter which causes so much more trouble for him in his life. If you live Adele Exarchopoulos like I do, you will love this movie. I just found out that it is based off a true story which makes me appreciate it even more. Like I mentioned earlier, it's not great, but it is very good and well acted by all. It should be higher than hovering around the 6/10 rating for sure.
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