100
CineVue
Betty Blue, in either of its forms – whether it be the 121-minute theatrical version or the 185-minute director’s cut – takes a bad situation and makes it true-blue and beautiful.
Betty Blue (37°2 le matin)
Critic Rating
(read reviews)User Rating
- France
- 1986
- · 185m
Director
Jean-Jacques Beineix
Cast
Jean-Hugues Anglade,
Béatrice Dalle,
Gérard Darmon,
Consuelo De Haviland,
Clémentine Célarié,
Jacques Mathou
Genre
Drama,
Erotic,
Romance
Betty is a rebellious young woman who becomes involved with Zorg, a repairman moonlighting as a writer. As time goes by, the two grow more passionate towards each other. However, when Betty's mental instability begins to catch up with her, Zorg can do nothing but stand and watch...
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What are critics saying?
100
CineVue by Leigh Clark
Betty Blue, in either of its forms – whether it be the 121-minute theatrical version or the 185-minute director’s cut – takes a bad situation and makes it true-blue and beautiful.
80
Time Out by Joshua Rothkopf
If Betty Blue plays into the salacious archetype of the “liberated” foreign film, at least it repays you with real feelings of earthiness.
80
Los Angeles Times by Sheila Benson
Beineix is still the sumptuous stylist; it's as much a part of him as his skin and the film has its share of gorgeous dawns, haunting sunsets, rollicking pink-and blue-painted beach houses. But he is also a great storyteller, and the whole middle section of Betty Blue is an irresistible tale of crazy love on one hand and crazy friendship on the other. [07 Nov 1986, p.1]
75
Slant Magazine by Joseph Jon Lanthier
If only Beineix could have imagined an existence for his star-crossed protagonists beyond the source material (the question of whether successful maternity would have sobered Betty yelps for an impossible sequel), he may have managed a sultry masterpiece.
70
Variety
Director Jean-Jacques Beineix has adapted a novel by Philippe Djian, considered an enfant terrible of the new literary generation. It's another feverish tale of amour fou.
70
Washington Post by Rita Kempley
Like Zorg, we are bedazzled by Betty's bright eyes, big moue and wild child's ways.
70
Variety by Staff (Not Credited)
Director Jean-Jacques Beineix has adapted a novel by Philippe Djian, considered an enfant terrible of the new literary generation. It's another feverish tale of amour fou.
60
TV Guide Magazine
An inconsistent and unsatisfying tale of amour fou and literary ambition.
60
Washington Post by Paul Attanasio
An extraordinarily sensual movie with its own silly integrity.
60
TV Guide Magazine by Staff (Not Credited)
An inconsistent and unsatisfying tale of amour fou and literary ambition.
60
Empire by Ian Nathan
More style than substance... but such sexy, sexy style...
60
Time Out by Staff (Not Credited)
Beineix's determination to tell the full story results in a bum-numbing and often downright dull three hours.
50
Slant Magazine by Chris Cabin
Indeed, the film flies by and feels weightless, like a spectacular rainbow-colored hydrogen balloon that passes out of our memory the moment we lose sight of it.
40
The New York Times by Janet Maslin
Too often, Betty Blue has the posturing good looks of a fashion spread and nothing more.
40
Chicago Reader
Perhaps what is least satisfying about Beineix' effort is its implied theme—that women are mere muses to be addled, suffocated, and sacrificed to revitalize the imaginations of men.
38
Chicago Sun-Times by Roger Ebert
Betty Blue is a movie about Beatrice Dalle's boobs and behind, and everything else is just what happens in between the scenes where she displays them.
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