DVDebut: Obssesion has its day in Sophie Laloy's 2009 endeavor, YOU WILL BE MINE

According to the IMDB, French film worker Sophie Laloy (shown below) has labored mostly in cinema sound and has directed and co-written but a single full-length film. If and when you view that movie -- YOU WILL BE MINE -- you may understand just why. Ms Laloy's original title in French, Je te mangerais, translates as "I would eat you," and this pretty much describes the obsessive and utterly possessive feelings of one of our protagonists for the other. God knows, obsession has been the theme of a number of excellent movies, from Visconti's early work to Vertigo. But thanks to the nitwit behavior on view, together with some ridiculous plot twists, this film comes nowhere close to joining those ranks.

Fortunately, the film offers some pleasant distractions that just might make it worth your time. Chief among these is Isild Le Besco, (shown above and below), that actress of exotic blond beauty who tends to add interest to anything in which she appears. Here she plays the villainess role to that of co-star Judith Davis' turn as would-be heroine, though neither character is completely what she may initially seem.

This good/evil combination may be the filmmaker's point -- along with the difficulties of accepting one's own lesbian tendencies, given society's majority-rule, continuing stigma of same sex love. If so, Ms Laloy did not find a way to bring all this to remotely believable life, given the over-the-top behavior.

The film was made in 2008 and first released in France in 2009. While attitudes have changed some over the past decade, human behavior remains fairly consistent, and what we see in this movie doesn't pass muster. When the worst possible decision are made, over and over again, the viewer's suspension of disbelief goes into overdrive and finally collapses.

The plot offers up Ms Davis, above and below, as a talented student of classical piano who has the chance to study at a major academy. Due to her family's finances, she must move into the apartment of the daughter of  family friend, a medical student played by Ms Le Besco.

Possessiveness and libido come to the fore almost immediately and grow ever stronger as the movie progresses, turning itself, along with its characters, inside out in the process. Supporting performers includes Edith Scob as a helpful teacher at the academy and Johan Libérau (below, right) as Davis' would-be boyfriend. M. Libérau's copious endowment is given its own impressive full-frontal scene.

For those so inclined, that may be the highlight of the movie. Otherwise, it's a long slough through passion resisted and embraced, love and hate, and nonsensical actions on the road to ruin. Which young woman comes out ahead, and why, may surprise you. Or not.

From Film Movement (though at this time it can be found nowhere on this distributor's web site) and running 100 minutes, the movie finally hits DVD and digital this coming Tuesday, July 24 -- for purchase or rental. If you want to view this one, your best bet is probably via Amazon Prime.