Golden Youth (2019)

Golden Youth Poster
Original Title: Une jeunesse dorée

Paris, France, 1979. Rose, a rebellious orphaned teenager, and Michel, a young aspiring painter, enjoy their crazy love under the neon lights of the decadent nightclub Le Palace, where they establish an ambiguous relationship with Lucille and Hubert, two bohemian bourgeois who will change their lives.

Film Overview
"Golden Youth" is a 2019 French drama film directed by Eva Ionesco. It features Galatea Bellugi and Melvil Poupaud in the lead functions. The movie is a dynamic depiction of the world of style, music and club in France throughout the late 1970s. The film, which mirrors Ionesco's individual experiences with her mom, turned out to be a reflective introspection of her own numeration with her past.

Story
The film centers around a teenage couple, Rose and Michel. Their story takes place in Paris in 1979, at the height of the disco age. The two, portrayed as victims of their scenarios and a society that motivates difficult partying without factor to consider for effect, are sucked into the fast-paced world of fashion, clubbing, and drugs.

Rose, a 16-year-old girl, comes from a conservative and disciplinarian family. However, she yearns for flexibility and self-reliance, leading her to flee from home. She ends up conference Michel, a 20-something artist from a wealthy background. He introduces Rose to an intoxicating world of endless nights filled with music, dance, and partying at a popular club called 'The Palace.'

Character Evolution and Struggles
The film likewise concentrates on Rose and Michel's journey within this hedonistic, disorderly world. Rose, being younger and more ignorant, winds up getting swept up in this whirlwind of pleasure and decadence, engaging in extreme drug usage and partying. Michel, on the other hand, tries to secure Rose from the worst excesses of their lifestyle however often fails.

Eventually, their lives begin spiraling downwards as they battle with drug dependency and the effects of their reckless way of life. They experience psychological and physical breakdowns, stopped working relationships, and loss of self-identity. However, they refuse to leave 'The Palace' and the hazardous however attractive world that it represents.

The Climax and Conclusion
In the end, the destructive lifestyle they lead starts to take its toll, resulting in devastating scenarios. The scene where Rose's health degrades is particularly poignant. Regardless of her downward spiral, Rose clings to individuals and the environment that catalyzed her downfall in the first location.

The film concludes on a bleak note, reflecting the harsh reality that the youth typically tend to ignore while being overwhelmed by the glamorized elements of the style and show business. The audience is entrusted to a clear understanding of the dark side of excessive indulgence in the pleasures of life.

Directorial Approach and Crafting
Eva Ionesco takes a courageous approach in her directorial endeavor by closely matching her own distressed childhood and adolescence. She dexterously reveals the impact of her mom's lifestyle on her life choices. The movie script clearly records the late 70s period, combining the effervescence of the disco culture with the misery and failure tied to extreme extravagance.

Total Impact & Final Note
"Golden Youth" is a poignant and thought-provoking narrative that does not avoid showcasing the dark side of a glitzy way of life. It highlights the consequences of unattended hedonism in a period where spirituality and religion were being replaced by materialistic pursuits. The film is, in essence, a cautionary tale about the hazards of escapism and the cost one pays for uncontrolled extravagance in hedonistic practices.

Top Cast

  • Isabelle Huppert (small)
    Isabelle Huppert
    Lucille Wood
  • Galatéa Bellugi (small)
    Galatéa Bellugi
    Rose
  • Melvil Poupaud (small)
    Melvil Poupaud
    Hubert Robert
  • Lukas Ionesco (small)
    Lukas Ionesco
    Michel
  • Alain-Fabien Delon (small)
    Alain-Fabien Delon
    Adrien
  • Nassim Guizani
    Yvan
  • Judith Zins
    Mado
  • Manal Issa (small)
    Manal Issa
    Razerka
  • Brian Scott Bagley (small)
    Brian Scott Bagley
    Théodore
  • Benoît Soles
    Fabrice Emaer
  • Rupert Wilmot
    Johnny Thunders