Alicia I love this movie so much

FuzzyTagz If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

StyleSk8r At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

Siflutter It's easily one of the freshest, sharpest and most enjoyable films of this year.

gavin6942 Zorg (Jean-Hugues Anglade) is a handyman working in France, maintaining and looking after the bungalows. He lives a quiet and peaceful life, working diligently and writing in his spare time. One day, Betty walks into his life, a young woman who is as beautiful as she is wild and unpredictable.Although the film is widely praised, it was "hated" by Roger Ebert, who sees it as nothing more than a film about the lead actress being naked a good deal of the time. He says that is the plot, and anyone who gets more out of it is missing the point. Many people apparently miss the point, as the film received both a BAFTA and Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film in 1986, as well as winning a César Award for Best Poster.Ebert exaggerates slightly, but I cannot completely disagree with him. For one thing, I am not a fan of explicit sex is movies as it never serves a purpose. But also, it just is not that interesting of a film. If people were not attracted to the scandalous nature of the film, it would probably not be a cult film today.

vstoskus Someone commented that she was "borderline." Nothing borderline about her. Straightjacket material early on, & the guy along with her to the back ward for thinking he could "fix" her. Shows how 2 unstable people getting together only multiply the problems for themselves & everyone they touch. Were we supposed to care for these 2? Huh? Well, yes, for the mental health system being sloppy enough to let them roam free & wild, a danger to themselves & everyone else. They needed intensive care from the get-go. "Pretentious" was accurate in another review. To drag this travesty out to 3 hours; yes, the director & the editor should both have gotten the pillow treatment as well.

raymond-106 A brilliant film. I remember it well, I saw the original in the 1980's and how could I forget it? This Director's cut is even better. Unabridged films are sometimes long and tedious.. Not this one. It is brilliant from beginning to end. It's a comedy drama with an unexpected twist at the end. I love originality in films,. This film has many original ideas which constantly entertain. The mood is definitely French and at times you may feel some of the actions are excessively dramatic. But wait. All is revealed in the end.Zorg is a handyman who does odd jobs in exchange for a rent free shack. When Betty walks into his life he is overwhelmed and his life is changed forever. Zorg is an easy target for who would agree to painting 500 shacks in exchange for free rent? Betty is more practical, a free spirit who is easily upset. These two characters carry the film although the whole cast is excellent.The sex scenes and full frontal nudity are naturally portrayed with no hint of embarrassment. Zorg it seems is genuinely in love with Betty and like so many young couples dream about the future when they will have a place of their own and live happily ever after..The photography in this film is magnificent. Much of the camera work relies on splashes of lighting which pervades the early comedy scenes. The musical score is simple and repetitive. Not easy to forget.Early in the story Betty discovers that in his spare time Zorg is writing an epic. She demands he has it published. The rest of the film relates to their somewhat futile attempts There is a horrifying moment in the film when tragedy takes over. It's one of many scenes where the action is excessive.Therein lies a secret. As one reviewer pointed out, what we have been watching is the published story of Zorg's nocturnal writing efforts, a figment of his imagination. It seems that when you lead an uneventful life, a bit of imagination can work wonders.

gcd70 Writer-director Jean-Jacques Beineix's film follows the sad life of Betty and her lover Zorg. From the steamy beginning of their relationship to the bitter end, we share in their heartache. This story has tragedy written all over it."Betty Blue" fails to captivate though. In fact it only succeeds in repulsing due to the ugliness of the central character. Betty is such a crazy wench that you never know whom she might attack next. It is thus very hard to sympathise with her, or any other of the rather uninspiring characters.Having said this, Beatrice Dalle is superb as the severely disturbed Betty, and Jean Hughes-Anglade lends strong support as "writer" boyfriend Zorg. Additional cast add extra weight to the acting credentials. Cinematography from Jean-Francois Robin is top notch, as is the original music from Gabriel Yared which is just that, fresh and different. Beineix presents the production well, but is unable to win us over. Phillippe Djian's novel could be intriguing.Sunday, February 22, 1998 - Video