Oranges offer objectionable, obtrusive, unorthodox, odious ordeals about an oversexed outlaw overpowering others avoiding overwrought obstinate officiousness, however, opportunities open doors for ostracizing unobliging oversensitive onlookers who otherwise own obstinate opinions about outlandish oeuvre.

Oranges Sanguines (Bloody Oranges) is a foreign film from France presented in French with subtitles. It has three separate plotlines: It’s about a retired married couple Olivier (Olivier Saladin) and Laurence (Lorella Cravotta) trying to escape mounds of debt by entering a dance competition as their kids remain unaware. Alexander (Alexandre Steiger) is one of their sons, the focus is more on him. Meanwhile, a minister, Stephane Lemerchand (Christophe Paou) is accused of tax fraud; and a teenage girl, Luise (Lilith Grasmug) explores her sexuality after a visit to her gynecologist.

Written and directed by Jean-Christophe Meurisse, each tale individually explores themes of trust, loyalty, sexuality, humility and poetic justice. The human condition has never felt so raw or genuine while the film takes its time for character development. The offbeat satire didn’t work for me, in general, but it has a few laughs. The horror elements don’t kick in until about halfway through before going into that dark territory. It’s delightfully gory but includes a side of brief sexual exploitation scenes. A sexual predator gags and bounds a man and a woman, forcing himself onto them. It’s done more tastefully than American films but it’s uncomfortable to watch nonetheless. This is a warning to those who can’t handle that sort of thing.

I like how the stories tie together without feeling contrived. Each journey is a glimpse into these people’s lives by way of a domino effect. For example, one person’s actions, whether inadvertently or purposefully, evokes reactions from others. Granted some plot points are weaker than others but a strong ensemble cast keeps it all together. I also enjoyed the camera movement and how he framed his shots. It’s appealing to the eyes excluding the aforementioned scene I thought warranted a warning.

Each cast member provides personality and substance to their respective characters. No one feels out of place or subpar by comparison. A film like this proves how casting is crucial because any weak links in the chain would be detrimental on a large scale. It would all fall apart. As things escalate, tension mounts thrusting difficult choices upon them while their lives go spinning out of control. The highlights of Bloody Oranges, in my opinion, are Luise (Grasmug) Olivier (Saladin) and Laurence (Cravotta) because their gut-wrenching journeys are heartfelt, sympathetic real-life issues people deal with every day. Part of what makes the film scary is how it could happen to anyone. The range of emotions on display is uncanny.

Overall, the skillfully crafted script and proficient direction use both substance and style without comprising either aspect. I love foreign films because, more often than not, they approach their storytelling through filmmaking in vastly different manners than Hollywood does. What could have been a derivative, gratuitous exploitation film is elevated by elegantly dealing with the subject matter tastefully with plenty of deliciously gruesome gore and quirky humour along the way. It’s always a joy to get the realization of a title having multiple interpretations. While Bloody Oranges is entertaining, I’m not sure about doing a rewatch. Sometimes films are one and done. And remember, the question remains…. Whether they’re red-orange or orange-red, does that qualify you to be labelled as les misérables?

7 out of 10