April 6, 2023
FILM: THE WORST ONES
DIRECTED BY: LISE AKOKA, ROMANE GUERET
STARRING: MALLORY WANECQUE, TIMEO MAHAUT, JOHAN HELDENBERGH
RATING: 3 ½ OUT OF 4 STARS
By Dan Pal
There have been a lot of fictionalized films about the making of other films (Robert Altman’s The Player, Fellini’s 8 ½, Tom DiCillo’s Living in Oblivion, etc.) but one of the fresh ideas coming out of the new film The Worst Ones is its focus on the effects of film production on young people. Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret wrote and directed this film which explores a movie being made in a suburban high school in Northern France. It’s not a documentary but it certainly feels like one at times and that gives the film an appropriately authentic feel.
During the opening scene, several young teens are auditioning for a director. Each has a distinctive personality. One, Maylis, shows zero interest in the process or the production. Another, Ryan, sits fidgeting in his seat, seemingly distracted from the whole process. Jessy is the long-haired cocky boy and Lily is the confident beauty who lost her brother a year earlier. Others question why these kids are being cast when they are clearly “the worst” kids in the whole school. However, the director, Gabriel finds them each fascinating and worthy of their parts. He sees something in each, as we do, that simultaneously sets these kids apart while making them universal in attitude and persona.
As the narrative proceeds, a line is blurred between scenes they are shooting and real life situations. Are the arguments real? Then the film finds a groove that lets us see when rehearsing is being done and when the actors are simply being teenagers. It’s interesting to see how they have to deal with some of the other jealous school kids and how they react to being filmed. One of the best scenes features Gabriel directing Lily and Jessy in an intimate scene which requires them to wear flesh colored body suits to cover their private parts and to learn how to kiss each other. We can see the fine line Gabriel has to tread between creating something authentic and making sure the young actors are being protected.
There are also plenty of frustrations for Gabriel as Ryan spins out of control in one scene and smiles during another particularly heavy one. These are, after all, non-professionals learning about the craft of filmmaking for the first time.
Eventually one of the actors decides to bow out while others become much more involved in the process. They begin to mature before our eyes. Of course, making a film is always a bubble of sorts. (Trust me, I’ve directed a few of them and the rest of the world completely disappears.) Gabriel even discusses how strange the experience is once a film production is finished. A closeness arises and then, bam, it’s over. The reality of this is particularly pronounced when one of the young actors falls for a member of the crew. Another, who is currently living in foster care, responds very well to Gabriel who becomes a pseudo father figure. One can see how the intimate relationships that are formed on this film set could have a powerful impact on all involved. It’s too bad then that we don’t see the aftermath. Where will these kids be in a month, a year, or a decade beyond this experience? Such missing details don’t destroy the film by any means but it does make the ending perhaps a bit tidier than it might be in real life.
Overall, I was really drawn into this world and its interesting and well-developed characters. There are definitely a lot of truths exposed here about the filmmaking process. It’s a magical, frustrating, and enlightening experience, especially for children.
The Worst Ones opens this week at the Gene Siskel Center in Chicago.
FILM: THE WORST ONES
DIRECTED BY: LISE AKOKA, ROMANE GUERET
STARRING: MALLORY WANECQUE, TIMEO MAHAUT, JOHAN HELDENBERGH
RATING: 3 ½ OUT OF 4 STARS
By Dan Pal
There have been a lot of fictionalized films about the making of other films (Robert Altman’s The Player, Fellini’s 8 ½, Tom DiCillo’s Living in Oblivion, etc.) but one of the fresh ideas coming out of the new film The Worst Ones is its focus on the effects of film production on young people. Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret wrote and directed this film which explores a movie being made in a suburban high school in Northern France. It’s not a documentary but it certainly feels like one at times and that gives the film an appropriately authentic feel.
During the opening scene, several young teens are auditioning for a director. Each has a distinctive personality. One, Maylis, shows zero interest in the process or the production. Another, Ryan, sits fidgeting in his seat, seemingly distracted from the whole process. Jessy is the long-haired cocky boy and Lily is the confident beauty who lost her brother a year earlier. Others question why these kids are being cast when they are clearly “the worst” kids in the whole school. However, the director, Gabriel finds them each fascinating and worthy of their parts. He sees something in each, as we do, that simultaneously sets these kids apart while making them universal in attitude and persona.
As the narrative proceeds, a line is blurred between scenes they are shooting and real life situations. Are the arguments real? Then the film finds a groove that lets us see when rehearsing is being done and when the actors are simply being teenagers. It’s interesting to see how they have to deal with some of the other jealous school kids and how they react to being filmed. One of the best scenes features Gabriel directing Lily and Jessy in an intimate scene which requires them to wear flesh colored body suits to cover their private parts and to learn how to kiss each other. We can see the fine line Gabriel has to tread between creating something authentic and making sure the young actors are being protected.
There are also plenty of frustrations for Gabriel as Ryan spins out of control in one scene and smiles during another particularly heavy one. These are, after all, non-professionals learning about the craft of filmmaking for the first time.
Eventually one of the actors decides to bow out while others become much more involved in the process. They begin to mature before our eyes. Of course, making a film is always a bubble of sorts. (Trust me, I’ve directed a few of them and the rest of the world completely disappears.) Gabriel even discusses how strange the experience is once a film production is finished. A closeness arises and then, bam, it’s over. The reality of this is particularly pronounced when one of the young actors falls for a member of the crew. Another, who is currently living in foster care, responds very well to Gabriel who becomes a pseudo father figure. One can see how the intimate relationships that are formed on this film set could have a powerful impact on all involved. It’s too bad then that we don’t see the aftermath. Where will these kids be in a month, a year, or a decade beyond this experience? Such missing details don’t destroy the film by any means but it does make the ending perhaps a bit tidier than it might be in real life.
Overall, I was really drawn into this world and its interesting and well-developed characters. There are definitely a lot of truths exposed here about the filmmaking process. It’s a magical, frustrating, and enlightening experience, especially for children.
The Worst Ones opens this week at the Gene Siskel Center in Chicago.