Set Me Free!
Set Me Free!

Movie spotlight

Set Me Free!

1988
Movie
92 min
Cantonese

Alex Man leads a cast of Mainland Chinese characters having survived political turmoil but still gets on the criminal path in Hong Kong in order to make a living.

Insights

IMDb6.7/10
Director: Bernard TavernierGenres: Drama, Crime

Plot Summary

Set Me Free! (original French title: 'La Fille de l'obscurité') tells the story of a young girl named Anais who is sent to a boarding school after her mother's death. There, she struggles with loneliness and her burgeoning sexuality, navigating complex relationships with her peers and discovering more about her own identity amidst a backdrop of societal constraints.

Critical Reception

The film received mixed to positive reviews, with critics often praising Charlotte Gainsbourg's performance and the sensitive portrayal of adolescence. However, some found the narrative to be somewhat slow-paced and the themes occasionally unevenly handled.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its atmospheric depiction of adolescent angst and Gainsbourg's compelling performance.

  • Some critics noted the film's deliberate pacing and occasional lack of narrative focus.

  • Explores themes of loss, sexual awakening, and societal pressures with a nuanced, albeit sometimes melancholic, tone.

Google audience: Audience reviews are not widely available or aggregated for this specific film on Google.

Fun Fact

Although released in 1988 in France, the film's international release was delayed, leading to it sometimes being associated with later years in some international filmographies.

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