Play-Back (Heroines) Blu-Ray - Region A/B/C Import from France - Perfect for Movie Collectors & French Film Enthusiasts

Best friends Johanna (Virginie Ledoyen, A Single Girl, The Beach and La Ceremonie) and Jeanne (composer and singer Maïdi Roth) are not satisfied with their lives. They are both singers and dream of becoming stars, but in the small mining town where they live no one seems to care about music.During the town's summer ball, Johanna's new friend, Luc (Marc Duret, The Big Blue), sees her performing with Jeanne and immediately realizes that they have the potential to become big -- really big. Then he uses all of his savings and helps them record a song in a studio whose owner, Jasper (Dominic Gould, Marie Antoinette), agrees to let them do a promo tape despite the fact that they don't have the money to pay for it.Around the same time, Johanna and Jeanne decide to enter a popular singing contest, but discover that they can register only as individual performers. Johanna then enters alone with a song Jeanne has composed and everyone instantly falls madly in love with her. But she has a secret that only Jeanne, Jasper, his new assistant JP (Saïd Taghmaoui, La Haine) and a few of the people working with them are aware of.The first half of the film is very sweet and charming. Johanna and Jeanne appear full of energy and it seems like their bond could not be stronger. A single look is all they need to know exactly how the other feels. Their music is pure and honest.But success forces the two girls to make decisions that push them apart. They begin questioning each other's sincerity and eventually their love for music. Johanna also becomes addicted to drugs and her attitude towards Jeanne changes. It is here that the tone of the film also changes dramatically. There is still plenty of light humor and many beautiful songs, but the film becomes quite cynical. Johanna is allowed to continue performing even though everyone around her can see that the drugs are destroying her and it is only a matter of time before the industry abandons her.The finale is beautiful and it allows for a couple of different interpretations. The most obvious one is arguably the best one.The chemistry between Ledoyen and Roth is very good. When success alters their relationship they undergo character transformations that never seem questionable. Only during the funeral Ledoyen's reaction appears slightly over the top. The intensity on display during the big stage performances also feels very authentic.The film's biggest strength is Roth and Laurent Alvarez's fantastic soundtrack. Roth performs all of the big hits that give the film its identity. The best ones are the melancholic "Est-ce que tu seras la", "L'heroine", and "Envie de te suivre". There is a CD release of the soundtrack which includes additional very good songs performed by Roth that are not heard in the film.Heroines is directed by Gérard Krawczyk, who is probably best known in the U.S. for the action comedy Wasabi (produced by Luc Besson and starring Jean Reno) and the three "Taxi" films (Sequels) that came out after Gérard Pirès'/ Luc Besson blockbuster.A cautionary tale to be sure, but avoids the sentimental cliches found in a Hollywood production.