Audience Member
Great movie. Really surprised to find out it's made for TV. Quality was very high.
The actress they chose to play Laura was perfect too. Looking forward to reading the book next, sad to think it's a true story and a bright young girl would have to stoop to prostitution to complete her studies.
Hated the Joe character. What a beep.
Rated 4.5/5 Stars •
Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars
02/22/23
Full Review
Audience Member
This French drama, written and directed by Emmanuelle Bercot is bravely revealing us the problem which exist in most of the EU countries since the Union began. In a market economy, education has to make money and the high fees of education are paid by the students.
The story of Laura is a story of one of the students who works in a call center, but even with an extra job she cannot meet her monthly payments. One day she faints in public during a lecture because she hasn't eaten enough, and instead of help by the student counselor, she is given the advice to sue her parents. She knows that her working class parents can't afford to pay more money. Her electricity is cut off and when it comes back she explores on internet a dubious website where matured men advertise in order to get to know women. She contacts a man called Joe who wants to pay her for keeping him company...
One of the things to remember after watching this film is the acting! Déborah François as Laura, Alain Cauchi as Joe and Mathieu Demy as Benjamin did everything for us to believe that these are real lives which suffer in those situations which seemed like a solution for their problems! It is sad that we had no chance to know the characters better due to the lack of their development in the screenplay .
If you like good acting and lots of sex scenes which exploit the perfect body of the actress Déborah François, and you don't mind the weaknesses in the screenplay, give it a go. Very watchable.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
02/18/23
Full Review
sarfaraz a
Student Services (Mes chères études) - French Tv-film written and directed by Emmanuelle Bercot. Starring Déborah François (Populaire). It was released in Poland and Italy. Released quickly to DVD in the U.K. Student Services is based on an anonymous autobiography (said to have ignited sensation among the French nation).
Set in contemporary France (not in Paris) - Laura (Déborah) is a 19-year old fresh college student of Spanish classes and wants to become a 'translator' to roam the world. Her parents live in remote town - Laura's mother works as a nurse, and her father as a mason, and a little brother.
In the opening of the film, she faints in the class full of students - it is revealed that she's been on starvation for some days due to her financial condition - the electricity is cut-off of the room (that she shares with her timely boyfriend - who doesn't seem to care much about her except to live on her expenses). Desperate in need of the money to fund her studies and accommodation; she picks up the laptop of her boyfriend to find petty jobs - which leads her to an advertisement by a middle-aged (married) man who wants to just spend quality time with her (including massage, and hanky-panky).
She seems to enjoy the time she spent (about an hour) without engaging in either foreplay or sexual activity (other than getting naked - exposing her big breasts fondled by the old man - who reiterates his desire only in the letter he gives to her rather than explaining verbally). With the money she (just) earned - she throws a treat to her friends, rejoicing every moment of it. She answers another ad, by naïve and somewhat fatty guy, who according to Laura (as she puts it later, although she does not seem to show the signs of it) calls it 'being raped' in the car, before giving him a blowjob - her claim does not have any effect on her boyfriend, whom she later asks to get out.
Next she sends an email to the first client (whom she considers to be gentle not to be having sex with her) - she asks him in an e-mail that she wants to have her very own 'laptop'. When she shows up at the hotel, the laptop is open with BDSM-movie playing on it - this sort of makes her uncomfortable. Then, she is asked to lay idle, while mouth gagged, hand and feet tied - this middle-aged man draws out long dildo and inserts it inside her vagina, against her yelling and cries. She storms out of the room, having freed herself of the fragile knots.
Laura bumps into a handsome young man at bar, who seems to love her from bottom of his heart and shares her secrets (but also feels jealous on the inside - especially with her frequent visit to the middle-aged man even after the incident).
The film is said to be based on true story - it is said that most of the young badly-off female students in France find this easy-but-lucrative job to fund their studies, buy fine clothes and meals. Deborah gives good performance, she is oomph, charming and seductive - I am very attentive when it comes to figuring the 'teen' looks, according to this experience of mine, I can assure you that you should not be disappointed in suffering from the natural tendency that grips you.
Basically to argue on what Laura goes in the film, is right or wrong; is out of debate. The age factor is well-chosen. It is the stage of an age when you can bend your life you want to, and there is little family-dominance on your independence. If I would compare the East and West, then it is to be called 'Clash of Civilization' - what Laura does in this film, may not bind her from not attempting.
And still I wonder that if having bulky men over top of her teen body, was worth all of this? I mean the scene where she goes with this middle-aged man inside 'Lady's Club' and then raped by two wrinkly old men - does not make sense (just for 1,000 euro). But then again as I said earlier - you can't estimate the dreams of those who go through extremes of being broke.
Rated 3.5/5 Stars •
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars
03/30/23
Full Review
Audience Member
The main character is an academically ambitious but financially struggling 19 y/o college student from a poor family. Given that she is fairly clueless and lacks a heroic dimension as a protagonist, this is a well-written and well-acted film that aims to give a realistic portrayal of one story out of thousands like this that are happening nowadays. Although it is supposed to represent a phenomenon that is widespread among students in Europe, it is probably now even more prevalent in America - thanks to a combination of the financial crisis and the crushing burden of student loan debt in our non-subsidized capitalist system. The girl has many attractive qualities and it is possible to empathize with her even as we see this slice of a life unfold in a predictably sad way. I thought it was nicely ironic how her boyfriend, who is quite happy to sponge off of her for free room and board and sex, becomes so self-righteous and slut-shames her about her letting herself accept money and gifts from others.
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/25/23
Full Review
Audience Member
This was very hard to watch, and as far as the reviews before this... they failed to mention that this particular film is based on a true person.... Unfortunately, many female college students due turn to prostitution feeling that it is the only option... SO SAD :-(
Rated 3/5 Stars •
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
01/17/23
Full Review
Audience Member
Heart wrenching, erotic drama about how a student, unfortunately, discovers that money makes the world go around. Deborah Francois is enigmatic in her portrayal of a downhill slide into the world of prostitution. In a world which, to her, was no more than a means to an end. It shows the harsh reality in a time of economic crisis and how poverty can easily overwhelm morality. Overall, it is a good film; A difficult, but honest film with an intense subject starring a great cast. Also cheers to whomever designed the soundtrack for this film, it is probably the best part.
Rated 4/5 Stars •
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
01/18/23
Full Review
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