Sometimes a movie comes around that gets your movie radar going. Maybe you saw the trailer or just heard about what the story is, but whatever way it is, once you know about it, the anticipation takes over. With such excitement being built, it takes only the best of movies to live up to your own self-hype.
A movie that has been on my radar is “Raw”, and boy did it live up to my internal hype. Justine (Garance Marillier) is one of those quite smart kids every school has. She has just been accepted to Vet school is a prized student and is off to further her education. Her first night sets the tone on how her first year will be, as the elder students haze the “rookies” to let them know where they are in the pecking order. One of those elders is Justine’s older sister Alexia (Ella Rumpf), who is not really cutting her younger sister any slack in the hazing. One of the rituals is eating a raw rabbit kidney, something Justine does not want to do being a vegetarian. Her sister forces her to though, not wanting her to be an outcast for not doing so. That moment something animalistic takes over Justine, unlocking a primal urge that will change her life.
“Raw” is one of those movies you don’t want to tell much about as you talk about it. Often it is better to go into a movie blind to heighten the experience and this is one of those times. The experience is what matters with this one as writer/director Julia Ducournau delivers one. “Raw” is like bottle of wine, as after you open it, you have to let it breathe, as the film takes its time building to its peak. The pacing is tight, as the film never feels long, it just feels right. The film comes together because of the direction of Ducournau and Marillier, who is extraordinary as Justine. “Raw” is one of those must see movies that will leave its mark on you with its beautiful take on cravings. It feels so often films don’t live up to what could be their potential. With “Raw” it lives up to that pedestal and then some. So take your friends and experience this for yourself, because movies like this don’t come around often.
