La Désenchantée (1990)

Part slice-of-life story, part social and psychological study, this film follows a few days in the life of Beth, a high school student in Paris as the date of her French baccalaureate exam draws near. Her disillusionment stems from her boyfriend’s behavior, which she finds vile. She lives with her seriously ill mother and her eight-year-old younger brother, who is like a close, conspiratorial friend to her. There is no man in the house: the trio depends financially on an uncle who takes too close an interest in Beth. At a nightclub, Beth flirts with an awkward young man, whom she later leaves standing there; for school, she prepares a presentation on Rimbaud; she breaks up with her boyfriend and plans her revenge with the support of a classmate who is in love with her. She meets Alphonse, a mysterious outsider old enough to be her father, with whom she might feel safe. She gives in to her mother’s insistence and visits her uncle.