120 BPM (Beats Per Minute) (2017) (French Language)- BFI London Film Festival 2017

Review

143min

Genre:       Drama

Director:    Robin Campillo

Cast:         Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Arnaud Valois, Adèle Haenel…more

Writers:     Robin Campillo and Philippe Mangeot

-Synopsis-

Frustrated by government inactivity over the spread of HIV in early 1990s France, a group of AIDS activists step-up their efforts and begin taking matters into their own hands, while dealing with shifting group dynamics and personal tragedy in this semi-biographical French LGBT drama from Franco-Moroccan writer/director Robin Campillo.

After transitioning from editor to screenwriter and then full-service filmmaker through his first two directorial efforts—resurrection drama ‘They Came Back’ and gay prostitution crime/drama ‘Eastern Boys’—Campillo fixes his cinematic eye on the direct action advocacy group ‘ACT UP'(AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power) in Paris during the 90s. With confronting honesty he weaves a warts-and-all fictional story based on real events and some of his own experiences, set in the French LGBT community and focusing on the trials and tribulations of the angry and resentful young people affected by the deadly disease—who take somewhat militant action to confront the French authorities and the pharmaceutical industry, which they accuse of compromising their health . . . and their prospects of survival.

Nahuel Pérez Biscayart stars as ACT UP member and AIDS infectee ‘Sean’, living on borrowed time and determined to turn fellow activists ‘Thibault’ (Antoine Reinartz), ‘Sophie’ (Adèle Haenel) and the whole group more militant, as they try to bring the government and the pharmaceutical industry they depend on to task over the spreading epidemic. As divisions in the organisation grow and the sands of time start to sink, Sean begins to fall for confident new activist ‘Nathan’ (Arnaud Valois), as ACT UP struggles to stand firm under the pressures of activism—plus the tragedy and grim reality of HIV before modern antiretroviral drugs.

With the cold and close-minded attitudes towards sexual orientation thawing over the past few decades, filmmakers have been at the forefront of exposing the LGBT experience to a wider Western society, as narratives, tones and cinematic styles have evolved to tell more complex stories about the homosexual community and the experiences of gay people in wider society—most recently seen in films ranging from gritty and lyrical urban drama Oscar-winner ‘Moonlight’ to nuanced rural coming-of-age piece ‘Call Me by Your Name’, and even John Hughes ‘inspired’ millennial comedy/drama ‘Love, Simon’.

Having been involved with the movement himself, Campillo finally blesses UK audiences with his memorable and personal addition to the canon of LGBT cinema, giving us an unflinching look into a scarcely seen subculture, plus a confronting picture of militant activism in general and the ACT UP Paris movement in particular—and a raw powerful look at the devastating human effect of the deadly disease during the darker days of the 80s and 90s.

Not only is ‘120 BPM’ a powerful human drama about marginalised members of society and a snapshot of their struggles at a different time, but it’s also an urgent movie with a contemporary and almost timeless feel, perfectly complementing the current state of an unsettled modern Western society, where people are angry and beginning to rise up against established systems and the status quo . . . although heaven only knows where that will lead.

Campillo manages to make extensive scenes of dialogue and lively lecture-hall debates feel dynamic and urgent, while informative and utterly authentic, balancing it out with moments of action and activism, graphic sex and tenderness, plus plenty of dancing and revelry befitting the film’s title, set to an ambient soundtrack of house tunes and a vibrant score from Arnaud Rebotini. But it’s all tempered by a raw and unflinching depiction of the human suffering caused by the ravages of AIDS, bringing the poignancy of tragedy and loss to the narrative.

Despite a near two-and-a-half hour runtime, ‘120 BPM’ manages to remain engrossing throughout as it forges a strong connection between the characters and the audience, putting them both through the ringer—thanks largely to accomplished naturalistic performances from the cast and in particular the two stars of the piece Valois  and Biscayart. With the latter proving the film’s standout, furthering his transition from promising Argentinean actor to burgeoning star of French cinema.

‘120 BPM’ may well prove confronting for mainstream or conservative audiences, as it might even for those familiar with the often raw and unsanitised nature of independent film. Campillo is bold and uncompromising in depicting the intricacies of a young gay culture at the time, but also the ideological conflicts within ACT UP—as a result of desperation clashing with strategic purpose—and around militant activism in general. And even though he clearly treats his characters with sympathy and empathy, the director is unafraid to depict them as fallible, while shinning an honest light on their lifestyle.

Ultimately ‘120 BPM’ is a triumph of indie filmmaking which showcases the increasing sophistication of LGBT-themed film, plus the strength of global filmmaking and French cinema in particular. With the ACT UP slogan of ‘Silence=Death’ as his motto, Campillo shines an uncomfortable but crucial historical light on a subculture and the AIDS epidemic surrounding it, while keeping it bright for future generations—creating a moving human drama of loss and grief which would have been a worthy addition to the oversubscribed and underappreciated ‘best foreign language film’ category at last month’s Academy Awards

The Bottom Line…

An expertly executed and commendably performed, raw and urgent LGBT human drama packed with energy and pathos, ‘120 BPM’ shines a bright but sombre light on a subculture, and life with HIV/AIDS before effective retrovirals—as Robin Campillo provides a confronting indie snapshot of militant activism, while delivering an unflinching emotional gut-punch to remember.

‘120 BPM (Beats Per Minute)’ is out on the 6th of April in the UK, and is out in the US on limited release.

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