Respire (Breathe) is a 2014 French film, and the second to be directed by Mélanie Laurent. Charlie (Joséphine Japy) is struggling at home when she meets cool New Transfer Student, Sarah (Lou de Laâge). However, when Sarah pulls away from Charlie, their friendship takes an ominous and obsessive turn.
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Tropes
- Alcoholic Parent: Sarah’s mother, who doubles as The Reveal, as she doesn’t work in Nigeria, as Sarah tells everyone.
- Asshole Victim: Sarah. She berates and abuses Charlie throughout the film and her comeuppance feels like Laser-Guided Karma.
- Asthma Peril: Charlie has asthma. She pushes herself too hard while running after Sarah on the track and collapses.
- Bathroom Stall Graffiti: After Sarah reveals the truth about Charlie's sex life, someone (presumably Sarah) writes insults about her all over the bathroom walls, school desks, lockers, and walls.
- Bathroom Stall of Overheard Insults: Charlie is in the bathroom when she hears Sarah sharing Charlie's secret that she and Lucas didn't have sex because she found it too painful.
- Berserk Button: Sarah doesn’t take it well when Charlies admits stalking her and learning about her alcoholic mother (who definitely doesn’t work in Nigeria, as Sarah told everyone) and threatens to kill her if she tells anyone.
- Beware of the Nice Ones: Charlie, who endures Sarah’s emotional abuse, readily forgives her and even supports her after Sarah gets hits by her mother.
- Bullying a Dragon: Sarah openly taunts Charlie inside ‘’Charlie’s own house’’ when she comes to collect her things. That’s ‘’after’’ the Gaslighting she has put Charlie through during the bigger part of the film. Charlie, in a fit of rage, suffocates her with a pillow.
- But Not Too Bi: Sarah and Charlie discuss having sex with boys, but also kiss each other.
- Disproportionate Retribution: Sarah abruptly becomes cold and aggressive to Charlie, after she introduces her as a classmate and not as a friend.
- Drama Panes: When she sees Sarah outside the school, Charlie reaches up and touches the window as if she were touching Sarah.
- Fair-Weather Foe: Sarah, when she shows up at Charlie's house crying because her alcoholic mother hit her. Charlie forgives and supports her immediately.
- Freudian Excuse: Discussed during the New Year’s party. Charlie tells Sarah that she followed her home one day, learned about her alcoholic mother and that she believes that Sarah isn’t a mean person.
- Gaslighting: Sarah’s method of abusing Charlie. After she freezes Charlie out once during their holidays, she warms to her when they return to school and alternates chaotically between these behaviours. She even blames Charlie by projecting her abusive behaviour to her.
- It's a Costume Party, I Swear!: Played with. The New Year's party is supposed to be a costume party, but the theme gets canceled at the last minute. Sarah doesn't tell Charlie.
- Popularity Cycle: Sarah briefly appears to worship Charlie. When they hit a brief rough patch, Sarah then ostracizes Charlie and stops talking to her except to insult her.
- Rage Breaking Point: Charlie, twice. The first time is against a girl in her class, whom Sarah gifts with a necklace she was given by Charlie's mom and the second time is against Sarah herself.
- Right Through the Wall: Charlie hears her parents having sex through the wall on her eighteenth birthday.
- Sugar-and-Ice Personality: Sarah is extremely warm and friendly but then freezes Charlie out for no apparent reason.
- The Dog Bites Back: Charlie kills Sarah with a pillow, after the Gaslighting she has endured and Sarah’s taunts inside her own house.
- Vorpal Pillow: How Charlie kills Sarah.
