In an alternate version of our reality, young orphaned boys lead violent lives on their own and are hunted by the government. A woman named Jessica takes these young men in and calms their inner beast. This unique family only wants to live in peace, away from the outside world, but the outside world threatens to destroy what they have built.

Jessica Forever is a very unique French film and the feature-film directorial debut of Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel. The duo collaborated with Mariette Désert (Suzanne, Particles) on the screenplay. The film takes place in a world where orphaned young men commit horrific crimes and are unable to contain the rage within. That is until Jessica finds them. She is a mysterious woman who seems to have some supernatural ability to not only find these young men, but also calm their inner anger. Like Wendy cares for the Lost Boys of Neverland, Jessica takes care of these young men and nurtures them to make them peaceful. She is their mother, their sister, their angel, and never shown in a sexual light. By giving them the thing no one else will, these young men become dedicated to her and the family they have created. Yet society wants these orphans dead because of their crimes and constantly sends armed drones to destroy them.

These filmmakers not only created a unique story, but they also created a film that elicits strong emotions and deals with many issues related to masculinity. Emotions run deep within all these young men and those emotions can easily be felt through the screen. Even when there is complete silence, it is impossible to not feel what they are feeling deep in your soul. Jessica Forever offers an interesting commentary on what it means to be a young man. When they are alone, each of the young men is violent and has no control over their emotions. When they have the maternal nurturing of Jessica and the familial support of others, they are able to be calm and supportive of one another. The film also displays how young men often try to hide their sadness and true feelings from the world. In one particularly beautiful scene, the family is grieving, but none of them shed a tear. Instead they come together with melancholy music and dancing. While the entire group, even Jessica, holds back their emotions, it is still impossible not to feel their pain.

The entire family delivers deep, compelling performances that will strike a cord with viewers. Aomi Muyock (Love, Scenario) stars as Jessica. While Muyock has very little dialogue throughout the film, her performance stands out. She exudes a strong, etherial, maternal, and even otherworldly presence. While it’s difficult to just select one performance from the family of young men, the one that stands out to me is Augustin Raguenet (War of the Worlds, Parties: Homelands) as Lucas. We get the most background on Lucas and watch as he works through some of his past trauma and mistakes. Raguenet truly embodies this complex character as he overcomes his past for the sake of his new family. The entire cast is really phenomenal and audiences are sure to feel the devotion Jessica and the young men have for each other.

Much of the film relies on cinematography, unique visuals, and monologues to move the plot forward. This method may be off-putting to some viewers, but it does effectively bring out inner feelings. The cinematography is especially interesting because it consists of many images in which the entire family is together with Jessica almost always at the center. It shows how she has a gravitational pull that brings the family together. There is also a lot of gorgeous juxtaposition throughout the film. Much of it shows the dangerous appearance of the young men compared to the tenderness they feel for Jessica and each other. There is also a very interesting scene where some of the young men go shopping for supplies. After seeing the hostile world these men live in compared to the seemingly average, everyday world everyone else lives in allows the audience to sympathize more with the family. Jessica Forever also utilizes CGI to generate fascinating imagery relating to Lucas’ personal journey. This imagery seems a bit out of place in the film as a whole, but works to show how Lucas has to work through his past in order to become closer to his new family.

Jessica Forever is a stunning film that uses a dystopian setting to show how the love and support of family, even an adopted family, can tame the savagery within. Poggi, Vinel, and Désert made an arthouse drama in the body and a sci-fi adventure. It isn’t a film that is going to have mass appeal, but those who can connect to the emotions of the film are sure to enjoy it. Jessica Forever also boasts strong performances and a fascinating universe I hope the filmmakers get the opportunity to expand on. Genre film lovers won’t want to miss this film.

OVERALL RATING: 7/10