The Explicitly Steamy French Drama You Can Stream On Tubi For Free

What's better for the heart than a steamy, artfully-shot French romance film? A steamy, artfully-shot, French romance film that's free to stream, of course. Thankfully, Tubi has viewers covered, with a certain movie fitting those very characteristics available as part of the streaming service's content line-up. Just be aware — this one doesn't pull any punches with how explicit it gets.

Director Laurent Bouhnik's 2011 film "Desire," originally known as "Q," caught some attention from cinephiles at the time of its release. The erotic drama screened at several notable festivals, including the 2011 Raindance Film Festival, the 2012 Moscow International Film Festival, and the Buenos Aires International Festival of Independent Cinema of 2012. Now, the movie is available to stream with English subtitles on Tubi with no strings attached — not even an account is required to watch. At a runtime of a little less than two hours, it's a solid pick for a romantic night with a significant other, so long as viewers know what they're getting into.

For those who want a better idea of what exactly "Desire" entails in terms of story, the film's premise is relatively straightforward. Set amid a period of economic turmoil in Cherbourg, France, the movie centers upon a young adult named Cécile (Déborah Révy). Beset by the loss of her father, Cécile attempts to seek comfort in casual intimacy with various lovers, only to discover deeper truths about herself and, ultimately, the solution to her sorrows.

If that brief summary didn't fully give it away, "Desire" primarily deals with very explicit subject matter and themes. As such, the movie is extremely graphic in its frequent depictions of sex and nudity. In fact, the work has garnered some attention for Laurent Bouhnik's unconventional decision to include unsimulated sex scenes, placing it in a relatively small pool of movies to have done so across film history.

That bit of NSFW trivia aside, there's quite a bit of creative richness to parse through in "Desire." From its downbeat yet romantic narrative, to its realistic depictions of French locales, to its unique color theming of cool yellows and blues, it's all worth a look for general cinema fans and romance fans alike. Viewers should just make sure they're comfortable with whoever else is in the room with them while they're watching it.