U. S. GO HOME
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1995 James Berardinelli
(Part of the Series ALL THE BOYS AND GIRLS IN THEIR TIME)
RATING (0 TO 10): 8.6
Shown at the Philadelphia Festival of World Cinema Running Length: 1:00 MPAA Classification: Not Rated (Mature themes, sex, nudity)
Cast: Alice Houri, Jessica Tharaud, Gregoire Colin, Vincent Gallo Director: Claire Denis Screenplay: Claire Denis and Anne Wiazemsky Cinematography: Agnes Godard Distribution unknown In French with subtitles
ALL THE BOYS AND GIRLS IN THEIR TIME is a series of films commissioned by the French-German TV station Arte. Ten directors were asked to participate by making a movie about their teenage years. Each film had to include at least one party scene which highlighted the music of the time. U.S. GO HOME, Claire Denis' entry (and the best of the four movies thus far completed) looks at life for teenagers in 1965 France, and the positive and negative influences of American culture.
U.S. GO HOME follows 14-year old Marlene as she, her best friend, and her brother attend the same party. Marlene's private quest for the night is to lose her virginity, but her first several attempts meet with failure, and her resolve wavers. In the end, hitchhiking back home, she finds what she wants -- if not necessarily what she needs -- from an American serviceman stationed at a nearby military base.
Denis, whose previous directing credits include CHOCOLAT and I CAN'T SLEEP, develops Marlene's likable, fascinating personality within a very short time. The film is driven by the girl's combined fascination with and fear of sex, and the mix of solid acting and sure direction makes this something more than a common coming-of-age story. U.S. GO HOME is alive with energy. The music --most of it 1960s American rock-and-roll -- pervades the film, but the U.S. influence hinted at in the title doesn't become explicit until the arrival of Captain Vito Brown. The movie is not intended as a political statement, although it does present some views of the time. (Marlene's brother, for example, refuses a proffered drink from Captain Brown, stating proudly, "I'm a communist, I don't drink Coca-Cola.) Rather, this is a look at one character and the meaning that a night's events have on her life. In the process, U.S. GO HOME examines the importance of love, friendship, family, and, of course, sex. That's a lot to pack into one hour, but Denis does it with consummate skill, weaving a tale that captivates, intrigues, and entertains.
- James Berardinelli (jberardinell@delphi.com)
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