Is Isabelle and Lust Worth Watching? Honest Movie Review & Audience Verdict (1975)

📖 The Core Premise

Isabelle and Lust stands as a 1975 entry that attempts to leave its mark on the Drama landscape. At its heart, the film explores complex themes wrapped in a compelling storyline. As the plot unfolds, we see characters navigating a world where stakes are high. "In the early 1950s, in a seaside town, Isabelle, a girl in her late teens,is about to spend an apparently eventless summer between her mother, her friends and a small job for a photographer whose business is lagging. But Isabelle is not the mentally balanced young lady she seems to be. In fact she is doubly traumatized, firstly by the rape she suffered eight years before from a Nazi officer and secondly by the suicide of her father shortly after. What she wants deep inside herself is to find a man, young or less young, who will bring her tenderness and happiness. Will Luc, a young German, or Monsieur Vaudois, her married boss, give her what she lacks ?"

🎬 Performance & Direction

A movie's success often hinges on its execution. Anicée Alvina attempts to elevate the material, but the direction leaves them with little to work with. The direction aims to balance pacing with character development, a hallmark of good Drama. While there are moments of brilliance, the pacing occasionally dips.

🤔 Why You Should Watch (or Skip)

Is Isabelle and Lust worth your time? If you appreciate Drama films that take risks, this is likely a decent one-time watch. However, if you are looking for a flawless masterpiece, you might find some plot points predictable.

🏆 Final Verdict

Ultimately, Isabelle and Lust misses the mark on several fronts. With a runtime of 90 minutes, it asks for a significant time investment, but for the right audience, it pays off.

Our recommendation: Skip It.