“Blood oranges”, a nasty but not stupid comedy about French society

After his twilight road movie, Apnea, Jean-Christophe Meurisse directs a choral film with three entangled stories in Blood oranges, screened out of competition in Cannes, in theaters on Wednesday November 17th. A comic, social and societal blast with a treat as guest stars, from Denis Podalydès, to Olivier Saladin, via Blanche Gardin, Vincent Dedienne and Patrice Laffont.

One night, three stories: an old over-indebted couple dreams of winning a rock dance competition, a minister is suspected of tax evasion, and a young teenage girl crosses paths with a sexually ill person. Political, social and societal have gone to the mill.

At the antipodes of a film with sketches, Blood oranges amazes by the link between these three stories that have nothing to do with each other, while the exercise often fails by the lack of a common thread. Here, it is the tone, frankly provocative and disturbing that gives it, which is a pleasure to see and to hear. Jean-Christophe Meurisse goes straight for it, and will undoubtedly not only make people happy. Hara-kiri !

There is the famous satirical diary of Professor Choron from the 1970s and Groland in Blood oranges. Kubrick’s title reference (Clockwork Orange), is not innocent either. The film is an anecdotal snapshot, representative of French society, sour and funny without ever being vulgar, but frontal in its images, like this deputy found massacred at the foot of the steps of the National Assembly in the early morning …

The film joins the wave of Flemish cinema of the 2010s in its tone, as The shit of things. Blood oranges highlights the disconnection between politics and the social in a satire of devastating humor, but also (rare) images that can shock the most sensitive, while remaining however always irresistible.

Kind : Comedy
Director: Jean-Christophe Meurisse
Actors : Jean-Christophe Meurisse, Amélie Philippe, Denis Podalydès, Olivier Saladin, Blanche Gardin, Vincent Dedienne, Patrice Laffont.
Country : France
Duration : 1h42
Exit : November 17, 2021
Distributer : The Jokers

Forbidden to children under 12

Synopsis: At the same time in France, a couple of over-indebted retirees tries to win a rock contest, a minister is suspected of tax evasion, a young teenager meets a sexual freak. A long night is about to begin. The dogs are let loose.