Review of Renoir (2012) by The Movie W — 12 Jun 2013

As a film, Renoir may not be too good. Characters are nebulous... held at arms length. The action surrounds Andree (Christa Theret) and Jean Renoir (Vincent Rottiers) and their early relationship. But the heart of the film lies with Pierre-Auguste Renoir (Michel Bouquet) himself. This disconnect should be a death knell, but somehow remains captivating.

Or maybe "somehow" is itself too nebulous of a descriptor. Renoir feels like a Renoir painting brought to life on screen. Whether the vibrant settings, superbly framed shots, or the silent (and not so silent) pans of Theret posing... each frame beats with a pulse that an art-lover will appreciate.

I almost brought the rating down a half-star for the lukewarm ending. But I couldn't. My theatrical experience was too fun. While I won't really recommend Renoir to lovers of film, to those of us who enjoy art find much to love here.