Review of Summer Hours (2008) by Robert K — 21 Oct 2018

If it were possible to give a six star rating, I would do so with Summer Hours. What a beautiful film - from the opening scene with the carefree grandchildren of Helene (Edith Scrob) running through the gardens, through the death of Helene, and the subtle, moving struggles of her three children deciding how to hold on to their past while living very different lives in the present -- through the end, with the spirited music of the grandchildren's generation playing as the final credits roll. Juliette Binoche is delightfully edgy and beautiful. The younger brother (Jeremie Renier, so riveting in The Child), is caring, egocentric, and quietly assertive. The older brother (Charles Berling) and his wife (Dominique Reymond) center the film, with their desire to maintain the family home conflicting with the desires of the two younger siblings and their own recognition of the difficult financial and familial responsibilities. Above all, the film is intelligent! Everyone is complete; no one is a caricature. The characters are conflicted, wise, foolish, kind, resentful, self-centered, loving. If a friend has never seen a contemporary French film, and you want them to receive a substantial and compelling introduction, this is the film. If you already appreciate French cinema and you love being transported to a beautiful, summery world of adult conflicts and simple joys, this is a film to watch. The subtle glances, the unspoken dialog, the distractions of work, the difficulties of being in the middle of two generations all depend on knowledge of adult relationships. The viewer participates in the film, feeling the complicated emotions. This is a remarkable film.

The most complete and satisfying of all the movies Assayas has directed.