The Dreamers (2003)
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An American student in Paris becomes entangled in an erotic triangle with a pair of free-spirited twins.
The story
In 1968, Matthew, a shy American exchange student in Paris, meets free-spirited twins Théo and Isabelle at the Cinémathèque Française. The three bond over a shared love of film and decide to spend time together. However, as they spend more time in the twins' apartment, Matthew becomes aware of their unconventional lifestyle and liberal attitudes toward nudity and sexuality. Set against the backdrop of the 1968 Paris student riots, the narrative explores their growing intimacy and the blurring lines of their relationships as they navigate a world of cinematic obsession and political unrest.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1968, Matthew, an American student in Paris, meets twins Théo and Isabelle at a film protest. They bond over cinema and move into the twins' apartment together. Matthew eventually discovers the twins' unconventional views on nudity and sexuality, and the three begin to share a complex, eroticized bond. After a series of games and shared experiences, Matthew and Isabelle develop a romantic connection, while Théo's actions cause tension. The trio eventually ends up together in a shared bed. When the twins' parents return and find them, the situation is interrupted by the 1968 student riots. Isabelle attempts a murder-suicide by turning on the gas, but they are interrupted by the chaos outside. The film ends with the three joining the protesters in the streets, with Théo and Isabelle ultimately choosing the revolution over their private lives.
- First release year
- 2003
- Runtime (minutes)
- 115
- Production countries
- France; Italy; United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English; French
- Directors
- Bernardo Bertolucci
- Writers
- Gilbert Adair · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Michael Pitt · Matthew; Eva Green · Isabelle; Louis Garrel · Théo; Robin Renucci; Anna Chancellor
- Genres
- erotic; romantic drama
- Themes
- sexual discovery; political turmoil; cinematic obsession
- Tone and mood
- lushly atmospheric; romantic
- Premise and plot tags
- erotic triangle; student riots; film lovers
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Holy Innocents (1988 novel by Gilbert Adair)
- Content notes
- nudity; sex scenes
- Reception
- The film received generally favorable reviews, with critics praising its atmosphere and romanticism, though some noted it did not engage as much as it could have.
- Production trivia
- It was the first credited film appearance of Eva Green.; The film features a scene where the actress wears a white sheet and black gloves as a reference to the Venus de Milo.; The script was adapted from a novel inspired by Jean Cocteau's Les Enfants terribles.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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