Not that I've seen it, but I'm reminded of when Nicholas Stoller's 'Bros' was released in the fall of 2022 to less than stellar reception. One particular comment I saw at that time has stuck with me as it entreated the Internet to "let queer movies be bad." That is to say - queer representation is good, and important, but if a film is imperfect and not wholly worthy on its own merits, we shouldn't leap to defend and uplift it just because it gives us the representation we crave of the LGBTQ community. With that said, it's not that 'Bye bye blondie' is bad, because I don't think that's true. Only, it's not especially grabbing. More than that, to be honest it feels a tad imbalanced, and underwhelming. I think there are fine story ideas here, but they're not given a form that makes them especially meaningful; the feelings of the characters aren't really passed on to the audience. We sit to watch, a story is told, and we blithely move on with our day as though we hadn't sat in the first place. It's okay for some flicks to be generally unimpressive in this way. One still wishes there were something more remarkable about them, though, and something to earn a stronger recommendation.
I do actually like this, broadly. There are familiar strains in Virginie Despentes' screenplay, but at that they're ones worth exploring anew: off-and-on lovers who inject fire into one another's lives, but who also mix like oil and water; exploration of their history together, in addition to the active narrative in which they meet once again. This core is flavored with additional tinges (to varying degrees) of punk aesthetics and confrontational spirit; the abuse levied against those who don't conform to the norms of the dominant culture; the pressure in society to hide oneself away just to be able to get by. These are terrific notions to play with - for an earnest lesbian love story above all, and at that one which declines the major tropes and forthrightness of its lesser genre sisters. It's just a pity that this feature bears a tone that's frankly too blase and even-keeled; even at those moments of the greatest heightened emotions, the vitality of the beat isn't specifically felt. I don't altogether blame Despentes in her direction, but I'd be lying if I said that didn't come across as the weakness that prevents the title from carrying itself with more engaging, relatable, and believable energy.
It's a little weird, in a way, because in other regards 'Bye bye blondie' is quite well done. Emmanuelle Béart, Béatrice Dalle, Clara Ponsot, and Soko are all charming, and bring their characters to life with commendable emotional depth and nuance. It should certainly be said too that Béart and Dalle, and Ponsot and Soko, have splendid on-screen chemistry. The costume design and hair and makeup are lovely; the production design and art direction are swell. I love the soundtrack compiled for the film. I admire Martine Giordano's editing, and Hélène Louvart's cinematography is solid. From a fundamental standpoint of orchestrating shots and scenes I think Despentes' direction is actually just fine, and again, all the right pieces are in place in her screenplay for an entertaining, satisfying slice of cinema, lesbian or otherwise. The chief problems are two-fold. First is that the various elements comprising the narrative aren't given equal treatment, or at least, treatment that would be ideal for either each in and of itself, or the overall tale. Second, and I think possibly more importantly, is that the earnest intent of the storytelling isn't borne out in execution for lack of a pulsing heart, a spark of electricity or vibrancy to make it count. Sound on paper, the audiovisual realization of the writing is sadly flat.
It bears repeating that I don't believe this to be a bad movie. It's not without value. Regrettably it's also just not the movie that it could and should have been, thrumming with the pluck and ardor - and ideal careful storytelling - that would have made it matter more. Such as it is I think 'Bye bye blondie' is a reasonably decent view if one happens to come across it, and it's suggested most for those who are diehard fans of folks involved. It also has a definite leg up on too many other LGBTQ flicks that fall into conventional trappings, or that fail to live up to their promise; if it's queer rep you want, it's queer rep you'll get. Still, without the driving strength to imbue the proceedings with significant potency in any capacity, this is a picture that's mostly best left for a quiet day rather than pointedly setting aside time to watch.
