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Under the Rainbow

Name: Under the Rainbow
Director: Agnès Jaoui
Released: 2013
Duration: 112 min

Representation Score

8.2/10

Excellent

2013

Director

Agnès Jaoui

Runtime

112 minutes

Average Rating

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New Showbiz Analysis

Agnès Jaoui’s ensemble piece dismantles the structural expectations of the romantic genre. It replaces fairy-tale archetypes with a fragmented, multi-perspective study of human connection and contemporary realism. The film’s intellectual strength lies in its challenge to gender roles and its refusal to reinforce traditional social hierarchies. By questioning romantic idealism, it offers a progressive framework for understanding modern relationships. However, the film remains confined to a Eurocentric focus and lacks significant racial diversity. While it explores psychological depth, it misses opportunities for more specific, ability to act-driven portrayals of disabilities.

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Category Breakdown

Does Under the Rainbow have LGBTQ+ representation?

Fair

The film examines unconventional relationship structures and dynamic interpersonal connections. It challenges the assumption that everyone is straight or cisgender by highlighting the complexities of partnerships and varied domestic arrangements.

How does Under the Rainbow portray gender?

Good

Laura challenges traditional romantic hierarchies by questioning the Prince Charming archetype. The film avoids damsel clichés, presenting women with rich internal lives and significant roles in driving the story.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Under the Rainbow?

Fair

The narrative centers around a primarily Eurocentric social environment. While the cast includes characters from various classes and temperaments, there is limited exploration of significant racial or ethnic diversity.

How does Under the Rainbow represent religion and culture?

Good

The film questions the rigidity of conventional Western life milestones and romantic ideals. It replaces traditional destiny with a secular, existentialist view of human connection and chance encounters.

Does Under the Rainbow include disability representation?

Fair

The story delves into psychological fragility and existential dread about mortality. However, these themes serve as philosophical inquiries rather than detailed explorations of specific disabilities.

Present on Screen

Challenges traditional romantic hierarchies and the 'damsel' cliché through Laura's active role.
Provides a sophisticated, multi-perspective deconstruction of fairy-tale archetypes.
Incorporates diverse domestic arrangements and non-traditional relationships into the social fabric.

Limited or Absent

Lacks significant racial and ethnic diversity within the core ensemble.
Misses opportunities for more specific, ability to act-driven portrayals of neurodivergence or physical disability.
Focuses heavily on a primarily Eurocentric social environment.

Official Synopsis

Laura is still waiting for Prince Charming at the age of 24. So when Sandro appears at a party, exactly like her Prince would in her dreams, she thinks she's found the right one. But then again, when she meets Maxime, Laura starts to wonder if some Princes could be more charming than others? Of course Sandro has problems of his own : his father, Pierre, just bumped into Madam Irma at his father's funeral and this reminded him of the date of his own death which Madame Irma had predicted ages ago. Now Pierre is unable to make any plans, not with his new partner Eleonore, nor with Sandro. And Maxime has his own problems, and so does Eleonore, Marianne, Jacqueline and many others. But don't worry, in the end, they'll all live happily ever after.

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