Atomised

Atomised is based on the book of the same name set in the near future and focuses on the lives of Bruno Clément and Michel Djerzinski, two French half brothers. Michel, raised by his maternal grandmother, becomes an introverted molecular biologist who discovers a method which leads to the elimination of sexual reproduction. Bruno's upbringing is much more tragic. He was shuffled and forgotten from one abusive boarding school to another, and eventually finds himself in a loveless marriage and teaching literature at a school. He grows into a lecherous and insatiable sex addict to the point where he finds himself on disability leave from his job and in a mental hospital after a failed attempt at seducing one of his students.

Having read the book, I was interested to see how the film would side-step some of the more graphic descriptions as a direct translation would probably get itself banned. Indeed its publication caused quite a stir in French literary circles as vivid, almost pornographic sexual descriptions contained within were a frequent target of criticism. Whilst some scenes in the film are indeed graphic and would never be made by Holywood, it is probably a blessing that the movie was made in Germany and is largely untainted in comparison and a loyal adaptation which is both enagaging and enjoyable to watch.

I would give this film 7.4 hippie communes out of 10