The Worst Ones
5/5
Based on 6 votes and 3 reviews.
Please rate between 1 to 5 stars
March 5, 2024
Excellent movie, it’s completely blurring the line between fiction and a documentary. Each of the four main actors picked from the neighborhood come with their own individual baggage, where we are getting deeper involved into Lily’s and Ryan’s backgrounds. They are really great kids, one struggling with the loss of her little brother and her undeserved image of being the "slut" of the neighborhood, the other having to cope with aggression and his impulsive behavior, along with a difficult family situation. Gabriel the director is split between wanting a good movie and honestly caring about his actors, hitting some ethical boundaries on the way. Wow, both beautiful and thought provoking.
July 7, 2023
Ok, so making a movie about making a movie doesn’t sound too exiting at first, but I was positively surprised. We get a glimpse into the casting process to pick the "worst" of the neighborhood into the lead roles, to get an as much as possible authentic movie. From that superficial perspective, it quickly moves much more deeply into the characters‘ personalities. There are quite a few intense scenes, starting with the schoolyard fight where Ryan isn’t quite in the mood for the role, and the director recklessly forces the performance he wants to see in his frustration. Other than that, Gabriel honestly seems to care about his cast, without always understanding their feelings and the environment they are living in. Also great performances of the supporting roles with his assistant bonding with Lily, and Victor the sound technician. Excellent movie!
June 23, 2023
Great movie about making a film casting disadvantaged kids from a French neighborhood not experienced in film making, itself made by casting kids not experienced in film making. This gives the movie a profound sense of authenticity. Gabriel the director is well intentioned but frequently overwhelmed by the nature of his cast and their environment. Especially Ryan and Lily are extremely convincing. With the lines between acting and reality often being blurred, this movie feels more like a documentary than fiction.