Director: Gaspar Noe (2015)

There’s little love but copious graphic sex scenes in this indulgent French flesh fest.

Take away the lengthy porn scenes and we’re left with unremarkable people and their dull, insular arguments.

Murphy is an American in Paris who on January 1st receives a phone call from the mother of his ex girlfriend, Electra.

She’s concerned her daughter may be suicidal having not seen her for some months.

This plunges the sullen, self-pitying film student into a bout of soul-searching.

We see the anger, fear and jealousy of their destructive relationship in flashback as the combustible couple spend their time at parties, bars, cafes and sex clubs.

The exes are played with naked enthusiasm by Karl Glusman and Aomi Muyock.

Klara Kristin plays Omi, the mother of Murphy’s baby son and the director isn’t above casting himself as a gallery owner, though we are mostly spared his nudity.

There’s confidence in the assured and repetitive rhythms of the fluid timeline as it slithers back and forth.

At 135 minutes the indulgent length allows us to admire the beautiful lighting, confident colour scheme and contained camerawork.

But the slight story and lack of emotional connection with those involved makes for an empty and unsatisfactory experience.

★★☆☆☆