18 Years Old and Rising
2011 · Directed by Frédéric Louf
Original language: French
- comedy
- drama
- romance
The story
Primo is an ordinary middle-class youngster studying for his baccalaureate, who gets side-tracked when he falls in love with a rich girl. They soon learn they have to deal with her condescending friends who look down upon this upstart.
What it’s like
Bright, sociable Paris settings set the mood, with the contrast between a modest middle-class apartment and the polished, moneyed world of a wealthy teenage set doing much of the emotional work. The tone is light and warm, a romantic comedy-drama with an undercurrent of awkwardness and sting, the kind of feel that suits a relaxed weekend afternoon or an easy evening with a friend. A young man studying for his final exams is drawn into a first serious crush, and the story turns on the sneering, judgmental scrutiny of the girl's privileged friends, so the emotional arc is about pride, belonging and the nerves of being underestimated rather than about big events. The pacing stays brisk and conversational, with small humiliations and tender moments alternating. Intensity is low: no violence, no gore and nothing frightening, only mild romantic and sexual tension and some teenage cruelty in the form of snobbery and social put-downs. It suits viewers who want a gentle, dialogue-driven romance with a class-conscious edge, especially those who enjoy French teen stories about first love and social divides.
More films like 18 Years Old and Rising
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved 18 Years Old and Risingand we’ll explain which ones fit you.
