The story centers entirely on a heteronormative romantic bond. There is no evidence of queer subtext or non-cisnormative identities within the main character arcs.

The film subverts traditional hierarchies by presenting an aimless male lead and a female protagonist driven by intense emotional impulses. However, Betty's agency is often tied to her psychological instability.

The cast is a homogeneous, white, working-class French group. The film lacks non-white or non-Anglo-Saxon characters, reflecting its specific 1980s coastal French setting.

The narrative embraces moral relativism and rejects mainstream social institutions. It celebrates a bohemian lifestyle that exists on the fringes of consumerist and family norms.

Mental health is explored through Betty's descent into madness. While it avoids 'inspiration porn,' the film tends to aestheticize psychological fragmentation rather than exploring lived neurodivergent experiences.