As You Are
2016 · Directed by Miles Joris-Peyrafitte
Original language: English
- drama
The story
Set in the early 1990s, "As You Are" is the telling and retelling of a relationship between three teenagers as it traces the course of their friendship through a construction of disparate memories prompted by a police investigation.
What it’s like
Muted, sun-faded small-town color and quiet, observational framing give this film a washed-out, dreamlike feel, as if the memories were stored on old tape. Scenes arrive in fragments, cut loose from chronology and returned to from different angles, so the rhythm is halting and restless rather than steady. The sound stays sparse, with ambient room tone and long pauses that make the silences feel heavy. Its mood is melancholic and unsettled, a blend of nostalgia and grief for a friendship that was both tender and fraught. The material is heavy: it includes child abuse, a murder, and gun violence, all handled with restraint, though some scenes land with real weight and discomfort. The emotional register is aching and intimate, following three teenagers as their bonds shift and fracture. It suits a quiet, reflective night when you can give it full attention, and it is best for viewers who want a serious, unsparing coming-of-age story and can handle difficult subject matter.
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