I find this quite a hard film to review. I was aware of the controversy around the sex scenes in this particular movie but wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. There is no denying that some of the scenes are beyond excessive, which is such a shame because (especially given the film’s plot and themes) they could have been used to show a more intimate reflection of each character’s personality. However, what transpires feels genuinely more like porn than a scene of intimacy with any story-related purpose. Additionally, certain aspects, like how Adele’s character is always shot sleeping in jarring positions without a duvet, make it very clear this film thoroughly deserves the backlash it received.
However, there are a lot of excellent qualities to this film, and to simply give it a poor mark as a reaction to one aspect is slightly reductive. The plot, based on a graphic novel, tells a captivating love story that is brilliantly acted. I think there is still a lot to enjoy here if you choose to skip the sex scenes. It is a film with such raw emotion on display from both leading characters. But reading about the aftermath, it is concerning to think how much of that emotion was caused by the terrible working conditions the two were put through. No matter how captivating the performances, you have to make the obvious statement that the ends here don’t justify the means. For me, the responsible way to review this is to acknowledge the brilliant performances and the compelling story while highlighting the director’s conduct, which from what I have read doesn’t seem to have been an isolated incident. At three hours, I felt the film was a bit long; even outside of the unnecessary intimacy scenes, there was a lot of fluff, especially in the second act. I think the cast and source material could have made a much better film with the right director, and it’s fair to say there are parts that still are great.
This film for me is an example of the shortcoming of a simple 1-5 rating system. I have given this a score for the sake of a score, but I think this is a film where people will have extremely varied opinions, and a written review is required to give more nuanced feedback. If you could simply make a version that heavily edits down the sex scenes, weird shower scenes, and some of the unusual directing, there are the bones of something enjoyable. But unfortunately, the film is as released, and for that, I have to give it an unfavorable review.
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