Showing @ Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Fri 2 Dec @ 6:00pm

Bouli Lanners / France/Belgium / 2011 / 84 mins

If you’re not versed in economic jargon, following the Eurozone crisis can feel like a blindfolded ramble through the dictionary. While some may labour through its complexities, the majority of us continue our lives in relative ignorance. Bouli Lanners’ modern coming of age adventure depicts the struggle of understanding adulthood through an undeveloped mind. Abandoned by their parents in their early teens, Zak (Zacharie Chasseriaud) and Seth (Martin Nissen) befriend fellow loner Danny (Paul Bartel). In a foolish attempt at independence they put their trust in a drug-dealer and his associates, resulting in a harsh lesson on modern society.

There’s a tender naivety running throughout the film characterised by the children’s choices, ranging from experimenting with rumours of chilli-sauce enhanced masturbation to renting out their house for the cultivation of marijuana. The chaos that surrounds these feral juveniles is ever-present, seen in their slovenly lifestyle, their mistreatment by caricatured adults (with one exception) and the misfortune that foils their every plan. When there’s a lull in the simple but engaging plot, the expansive serenity of the Belgian countryside is a sumptuous distraction, juxtaposing the bedlam of their lives. Lacking mature responsibilities and attempting to fill a seemingly unending stretch of time, Lanners presents a hedonistic exploration into the uncharted and misunderstood world of their adolescence.