Love Isn’t the Escape It Promises to Be

Read Time:5 Minute, 59 Second

MOVIE REVIEW
Rosa La Rose, Fille Publique
–

Genre: Drama
Year Released: 1986, Radiance Films Blu-ray 2025
Runtime: 1h 32m
Director(s): Paul Vecchiali
Writer(s): Paul Vecchiali
Cast: Marianne Basler, Pierre Cosso, Jean Sorel, Catherine Lachens, Evelyne Buyle, Laurent Lévy, Pierre Oudrey, Régine Benedetti, Heinz Schwarzinger, Jean-Louis Rolland, Noël Simsolo
Where to Watch: available July 22, 2025, pre-order your copy here: www.radiancefilms.co.uk, www.mvdshop.com, or www.amazon.com

RAVING REVIEW: Paul Vecchiali’s ROSA LA ROSE, FILLE PUBLIQUE paints a portrait of life on the margins—romantic, theatrical, and unflinchingly real. Set in Paris in the 1980s, the film centers on Rosa, a sex worker who’s beloved in her corner of the city. She’s confident, joyful, and in control—until the fantasy she lives in begins to unravel after locking eyes with a stranger across a dance floor.

From the moment Marianne Basler appears on screen, she commands your attention. Her performance is magnetic, full of life and wit, yet always touched by something deeper. She doesn’t just play Rosa—she owns the space Rosa walks through. There’s a rare kind of charisma here, one that glows in quiet moments and explodes when challenged.

Pierre Cosso plays Julien, the blue-collar dreamer who stumbles into Rosa’s world. He’s a wrench in the gears of her carefully managed life—kind, observant, and just naïve enough to believe love might be enough. The chemistry between them is undeniable, but what sets their connection apart is the way it challenges both of them to confront what they’ve been avoiding. She believes she’s untouchable; he thinks he can save her. Neither turns out to be right.

Their romance is the film’s center, but it’s not the kind of love story built to last. It’s a collision course—gorgeous, impulsive, and ultimately heartbreaking. Vecchiali uses it as a tool to explore much larger themes: class mobility, the limits of fantasy, and the cost of trying to live outside expectations. Rosa believes in love, but she also knows what the world does to women like her who reach too far.

The colors in the film are bold, the camera floats around the scenes, and certain shots evoke the golden age of French cinema. But it never feels detached. There’s an emotional rawness beneath the stylization—a commitment to truth even amid exaggeration. It’s not realism, but it’s real.

The supporting cast adds to Rosa’s world. Jean Sorel as Gilbert—the pimp who cares about her more than he’s willing to admit—brings a quiet sadness to their scenes. Her fellow sex workers provide both levity and a grounded perspective. Together, they make up a kind of family, one that understands the rules of survival better than anyone else.

As the story moves forward, things begin to shift. The world Rosa built starts to crack. Moments of intimacy become fraught with consequences. There’s no dramatic twist—just the slow, inevitable march of reality pushing fantasy out the door. What starts as a story about independence and celebration ends in isolation and consequence.

This restoration brings out all the texture in the visuals: every flickering light, every saturated hue, every layer of sweat and lipstick. It’s a film that lives in atmosphere, and this new release gives it the treatment it deserves.

What elevates ROSA LA ROSE beyond the standard love story is that it doesn’t scold Rosa for her choices, nor does it romanticize them. It acknowledges the freedom and the trappings of her life. It allows her to be flawed, powerful, joyful, and broken—all at once. That honesty is rare. The ending may hurt, but it also feels inevitable. You saw it coming, even if you hoped it wouldn’t happen.

Paul Vecchiali's direction is uncompromising. He doesn’t soften the blows, but he also doesn’t turn the story into misery for its own sake. There’s beauty here—so much of it—but it’s always laced with menace. It’s a story of what happens when someone dares to believe they can rewrite their narrative, only to find that the world isn’t ready to let them.

ROSA LA ROSE, FILLE PUBLIQUE doesn’t always stick to its balance, and a few moments drift a little too far into theatricality. But when it’s good—which is most of the time—it’s unforgettable. It grabs you, shakes you, and leaves you with a lot more than you expected from a 1986 French melodrama about a sex worker. It’s a film about love, but not the kind you find in fairy tales. It’s about the love you fight for, and the price you pay when you start to believe it might be yours.

This is a vital release. It revives a film that never got the attention it deserved, led by a performance that would launch Basler’s career and a director who was always more daring than most of his contemporaries. If you’re drawn to stories about agency, illusion, and hard truths, this one deserves your time.

Bonus Materials:
2K restoration approved by Paul Vecchiali
Original uncompressed PCM mono audio
Interview with critic David Jenkins (2025)
Archival interview with director Paul Vecchiali (1985)
Archival interview with actors Marianne Basler and Jean Sorel (1985)
Newly improved English subtitle translation
Reversible sleeve featuring designs based on original promotional materials
Limited edition booklet featuring archival interviews and new writing by Marina Ashioti
Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip, leaving the packaging free of certificates and markings

Please visit https://linktr.ee/overlyhonestr for more reviews.

You can follow me on Letterboxd, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. My social media accounts can also be found on most platforms by searching for 'Overly Honest Reviews'.

I’m always happy to hear from my readers; please don't hesitate to say hello or send me any questions about movies.

[photo courtesy of RADIANCE FILMS, MVD ENTERTAINMENT]

DISCLAIMER:
At Overly Honest Movie Reviews, we value honesty and transparency. Occasionally, we receive complimentary items for review, including DVDs, Blu-rays, CDs, Vinyl Records, Books, and more. We assure you that these arrangements do not influence our reviews, as we are committed to providing unbiased and sincere evaluations. We aim to help you make informed entertainment choices regardless of our relationship with distributors or producers.

Amazon Affiliate Links:
Additionally, this site contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase through these links, we may receive a commission. This affiliate arrangement does not affect our commitment to honest reviews and helps support our site. We appreciate your trust and support in navigating these links.