Loud, Lush, and Unapologetically Queer

Read Time:5 Minute, 19 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Queens of Drama (Les reines du drame)
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Genre: Comedy, Musical, Romance
Year Released: 2024, 2025
Runtime: 1h 54m
Director(s): Alexis Langlois
Writer(s): Alexis Langlois, Carlotta Coco, Thomas Colineau
Cast: Louiza Aura, Gio Ventura, Bilal Hassani, Alma Jodorowsky, Nana Benamer, Asia Argento, Thomas Poitevin, Dustin Muchuvitz, Raya Martigny
Where to Watch: available on VOD in North America July 15, 2025

RAVING REVIEW: QUEENS OF DRAMA doesn’t tiptoe into your heart—it kicks the door down in platform boots and a cloud of glitter. The first feature from Alexis Langlois is a chaotic, candy-colored love letter to queer identity, pop stardom, and the messiness of human emotion. Set in an alternate version of the early 2000s that feels like MTV, MySpace, and a French punk zine collided, the film is more than just aesthetic indulgence—it’s a brash, bold, and surprisingly tender musical that wears its heart on its sleeve even as it tears it open.

Louiza Aura leads the charge as Mimi Madamour, a rising pop star living in the shadow of her own carefully managed image. She crosses paths—and connects—with Billie Kolher, played by Gio Ventura. Billie is a queer punk icon, rebellious and intense, as drawn to the spotlight as she is suspicious of it. The romance that erupts between them is less slow burn and more full detonation. Their chemistry is undeniable, but so is the wreckage they leave in their wake. The film doesn’t ask if they’ll self-destruct—it shows us how exactly.

What makes QUEENS OF DRAMA hit so hard isn’t just the emotional electricity between Mimi and Billie, but how Langlois stages their story like a musical battlefield. The songs, crafted by a wide array of talents including Yelle, Rebeka Warrior, Pierre Desprats, Mona Soyoc, and Louise Bsx, serve as more than catchy interludes. Each number explodes with feeling—rage, desire, jealousy, heartbreak—and they chart the progression of this doomed romance in a way dialogue alone never could.

From electro-punk bangers to more vulnerable ballads, the music here is eclectic, era-specific, and emotionally precise. When Mimi belts out her passion or Billie rips into a rebellious verse, it’s not for show—it’s catharsis. Langlois leans into the heart of musicals but avoids parody. Instead, he finds honesty in exaggeration, creating a world where extremes are the norm and vulnerability is shouted from rooftops in autotune.

Visually, the film is nothing short of a spectacle. Every frame bursts with neon, glitter, or pop-culture pastiche. But beneath the sparkle is a sharp commentary. Langlois knows that image is currency, especially for women and queer people trying to survive and thrive in the public eye. Mimi and Billie aren’t just fighting for love—they’re fighting for control of how they’re seen, who gets to tell their story, and whether fame is worth the cost of authenticity. The 2000s setting—think Britney breakdowns and tabloid cruelty—only heightens this tension. Langlois utilizes the aesthetics of the era to explore themes that remain painfully relevant.

The supporting cast adds even more flavor to this already extravagant mix. Bilal Hassani as Steevyshady, Nana Benamer as Kalthoum, and Alma Jodorowsky as Harmony all make strong impressions, and Thomas Poitevin’s Guy Brilland is both sleazy and strangely sympathetic. The trio of Sandrine (Dustin Muchuvitz), Severine (Raya Martigny), and Magalie Charmer (Asia Argento) brings extra personality and texture to the narrative. Jean Biche, playing a version of himself, adds a surreal layer that reinforces the film’s irreverent, fearless tone.

Where QUEENS OF DRAMA thrives is in its sincerity. For all its noise and visual flamboyance, the core of the story remains intimate: two people desperate to be seen, heard, and loved in a world that’s built to commodify them. Langlois, drawing inspiration from his past, channels personal pain into something grand and unapologetically queer. That’s part of what makes this such an exciting debut—he’s not trying to sanitize or simplify complex feelings. He’s embracing their chaos and making them sing.

QUEENS OF DRAMA succeeds most in its ability to balance loud, stylized emotion with underlying authenticity. It may not be for everyone—the format is unconventional, the tone is unrestrained, and it lives for its sense of fabulousness—but for viewers open to its heart, it’s a vibrant celebration of queer love, messy feelings, and the catharsis of turning heartbreak into a power ballad.

It’s also a film that feels like it was made by and for a generation that was shaped as much by music videos and reality TV as by traditional cinema. Langlois uses that to his advantage, crafting something that’s both referential and personal, playful yet emotionally real. And while his style might not be subtle, it’s undeniably sincere. A messy, magnetic, and moving debut that punches through the glitter and finds genuine feeling underneath. QUEENS OF DRAMA is loud, proud, and has something to say.

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[photo courtesy of ALTERED INNOCENCE, LES FILMS DU POISSON]

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