If you could take Larry Clark’s Kids and merge it with Sofia Coppola’s The Virgin Suicides, you would get a film like Bang Gang: A Modern Love Story. Directed and written by Eva Husson in her directorial debut, the film explores the vivid sexuality of a group of teenagers in Biarritz, France. The plot centres around five very different characters—George, Alex, Nikita, Gabriel, and Laetitia—and their up-and-down relationships with each other. Most of the characters embrace a hedonistic lifestyle, full of endless partying and risqué activities. However, their reckless behaviour leads to consequences they later regret.
Right off the bat, the flashy opening scene captures the bold and dreamy atmosphere of the film. A character takes the audience through a loud house party filled with intoxicated teenagers partaking in wild sexual activities. Synth-pop and electronic music blast in the background as shots of naked bodies are seen in corners of a trashed house. There is no dialogue in this scene—just visuals translated through music. The hypnotic music and bare bodies replace spoken words, creating a different form of communication. The beautiful cinematography of the opening captures your attention right away and reels you into the film.
The film then travels back in time to one month before. The characters are slowly introduced as the audience gets a glimpse into their lives. Laetitia (Daisy Broom), a seemingly nice and shy girl, lives with her strict father and often breaks curfew. She hangs out with her best friend George (Marilyn Lima), a beautiful and playful blonde, and the two gossip about boys. One day, they set off to Alex’s (Finnegan Oldfield) house to spend time with him and his buddy, Nikita (Fred Hotier). George soon develops a crush on Alex, but gets her heart broken because Alex is a lying womanizer. Laetitia later betrays George and complicates the dynamics of the group. The plot progresses slowly and freely, giving the film a dreamy, unreal feeling and reveling in the disorder of its character’s lives. Bang Gang’s presentation of George and Laetitia is particularly interesting. While both girls take part in the sexual escapades onscreen, they are afforded freedom that is rare for female characters. It is to Husson’s credit that a film about sex and teenagers avoids casting George or Laetitia simply as objects.
The title of the film is derived from the “game” the teenagers take part in during their parties. The game is basically a group hookup with some individuals performing sexual acts and others watching and recording it on their phones. Originally introduced by George as a scheme to win Alex back, the game quickly spreads and becomes a ritualized activity that later spirals out of control. Filled with a strong young cast and an electrifying soundtrack, Bang Gang is a fascinating debut feature from Eva Husson. The actors definitely carry the film, and create believable characters that make you cry and laugh. Though intensified and exaggerated, Bang Gang portrays the hookup culture and lifestyle in which many modern teenagers participate. It also shows how real relationships are becoming harder to form—or even disappearing into nonexistence.
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