A tasteful big-city drama in which the stylish pictures are especially impressive. David Rooney (Variety): ‘Pic’s visual style has nonstop electricity’. Rooney had just as much praise for the quality of the scenario, the tight directing of Assayas, the convincing and attractive leading players and the fast cutting which works well in combination with the music of John Cale. Paris s’éveille is certainly not optimistic about the condition humaine, but is at the same time pregnant with sensual passion. The film is austere, but has a striking lyrical style.After a six-month journey, 19-year-old Adrien (Thomas Langmann) returns to Paris. He seeks shelter with his father (Jean-Pierre Léaud), whom he hasn’t seen for four years. His father lives with Louise (Judith Godrèche), a ‘wild girl’ (Rooney) of Adrien’s age, who is on and off drugs. After initial clashes, a turbulent relationship develops between Louise and Adrien. After a fierce quarrel with Adrien’s father, the lovers leave his house. Lack of money forces them to move into a squat. At first they try to live from all kinds of odd jobs and dealing, but soon give in to the temptation of the money Louise can earn by selling her body. Adrien and Louise soon grow apart. Louise starts an affair with a producer in the hope of making a career in television. Adrien does not stop her and disappears from the scene. When Louise months later tries to mend the bridges with both Adrien and his father, a lot has changed.
