So, I watched “Elles” the other evening, and let me tell you, it’s a bit like trying to do a rubik’s cube after a kräftskiva—brilliant colors but honestly slightly confounding. This film, starring the sublime Juliette Binoche, fuses journalism and sexual exploration and, to be fair, it left me thinking a lot. Maybe too much, if you get what I mean.

But let’s rewind a bit. It’s about Anne, this seasoned journalist, diving into the world of student prostitution. Sounds like a heavy watch, right? Well, it is, but it’s oddly captivating. You ever peek into the abyss of someone else’s life and it changes you, like that one time my cousin talked me into trying lutefisk for the first time? Yeah, kinda like that, minus the fish.

So, there’s a scene where Anne is refusing to look into her own mirror while she’s trying to uncover these students’ lives. It struck me as so real, maybe ‘cause we all do a bit of that dodging when things hit too close to home. And the film’s pacing, man, it had me wondering if the director just chucked a dart at a board for scene transitions. But it works. Sort of.

Am I making sense yet? Because Binoche absolutely carries those moments of silent revelation like a pro. But I reckon the film thinks it’s cleverer than it actually is—and that’s coming from a Swede who once tried to write his bike on black ice! The soundtrack, though, that eerie French vibe, paired with the lingering wine scent you can’t quite place, is pure magic.

In the end, it’s a film that dares to peek beneath the surface, just like when you’re spelunking in Swedish caves and aren’t quite sure what you’ll find. It’s worth a watch, but don’t be surprised if it leaves you chatting with your plants in French later. Catch a clip below if you’re curious!