In the opinion of Thierry Jousse (Cahiers du Cinéma) J’embrasse pas is a ‘film élégant et violent’. The story is set in present-day Paris, but according to Jousse the film has aspects which correspond with 19th-century writers about Parisian life such as De Balzac. Téchiné wanted to tell his story about a boy from the countryside who loses his innocence step by step. Téchiné: ‘Comme on avance dans la nuit en cherchant des repères.’Protagonist is Pierre, a young nurse who thinks his home in the south-west of France is too suffocating and leaves for Paris. At first he works as a nurse, but his real ambition is to be an actor. He has an affair with a nurse much older than himself and who supports him so he can concentration his acting lessons. But he doesn’t have enough talent for acting. This becomes painfully obvious during a lesson.Pierre makes friends with a gay television presenter, played by Philippe Noiret (Variety: ‘Generous with his immense talent in a small but key role’), who warns him against the dangers of prostitution. But after his first few faltering steps on the seamy side of Paris, Pierre gets a taste for earning a quick and easy buck and develops into a professional male prostitute. But when he falls in love with a down and out whore, he turns out to be less professional than he thought and falls victim to harsh street life.Je t’embrasse is a film about the ups and downs — and about harder downs and more difficult ups than most people face — which precede adulthood.
