Blue Is the Warmest Color (2013)
Kernel Score: 79% · 4,818 ratings · Rated NC-17
Genres: Romance, Drama
Released: 2013-10-09
Runtime: 180 minutes
Is Blue Is the Warmest Color worth watching?
Depends on your taste. Three hours following a young woman's first great love, from school to adulthood. The two leads are remarkable, but the film is long, explicit and has been criticised over how it was made.
Watch it if you
- like long, intimate character dramas
- enjoy French cinema
- want fully committed performances
Skip it if you
- dislike graphic sex scenes
- don't want three hours of slow, realistic drama
Best for: Serious solo viewing
Fresh Kernels verdict, AI-assisted from our scores, audience reviews and the official rating.
Where to watch Blue Is the Warmest Color
- Stream: AMC+, Sundance Now
- Free with ads: Kanopy, Philo, The Roku Channel, Plex, Xumo Play
- Rent: Apple TV, Fandango At Home
- Buy: Apple TV, Fandango At Home
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
Adèle's life is changed when she meets Emma, a young woman with blue hair, who will allow her to discover desire, to assert herself as a woman and as an adult. In front of others, Adele grows, seeks herself, loses herself, finds herself.
Blue Is the Warmest Color parents' guide: ages 16+
Parents need to know that Blue Is the Warmest Color is an NC-17 coming-of-age romance with explicit sex scenes.
- Sex, romance & nudity: Intense — NC-17 rated for extended, explicit sex scenes as reviews confirm.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official NC-17 rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Blue Is the Warmest Color
If you liked Blue Is the Warmest Color, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- The Dreamers (2003) — 81%: Young French-set love story with frank intimacy.
- Me and Earl and the Dying Girl (2015) — 86%: Tender coming-of-age story with strong feeling.
- Cinema Paradiso (1988) — 91%: Romantic memory piece about love and growing up.
- Tell It to the Bees (2019) — 85%: Quiet love story between two women in a restrictive time.
- The World to Come (2021) — 79%: Restrained, moving romance between two women.
- Claire's Knee (1970) — 82%: French drama about desire and growing up.
Director
Cast
- Léa Seydoux as Emma
- Adèle Exarchopoulos as Adèle
- Salim Kéchiouche as Samir
- Aurélien Recoing as Adèle's Father
- Catherine Salée as Adèle's Mother
- Benjamin Siksou as Antoine
- Mona Walravens as Lise
- Alma Jodorowsky as Béatrice
- Jérémie Laheurte as Thomas
- Anne Loiret as Emma's Mother
Blue Is the Warmest Color FAQ
Is Blue Is the Warmest Color worth watching?
Depends on your taste. Three hours following a young woman's first great love, from school to adulthood. The two leads are remarkable, but the film is long, explicit and has been criticised over how it was made.
Where can I watch Blue Is the Warmest Color?
In the US you can stream Blue Is the Warmest Color on AMC+ and Sundance Now, watch it free with ads on Kanopy, Philo, The Roku Channel, Plex and Xumo Play and rent it from Apple TV and Fandango At Home.
Is Blue Is the Warmest Color OK for kids?
Blue Is the Warmest Color is rated NC-17. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 16+. Parents need to know that Blue Is the Warmest Color is an NC-17 coming-of-age romance with explicit sex scenes.
What movies are like Blue Is the Warmest Color?
If you liked Blue Is the Warmest Color, try The Dreamers, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, Cinema Paradiso and Tell It to the Bees.