Review of Summer Hours (2008) by Dorothy B — 25 Mar 2012

If you are a fan of personal and small scale family dramas then "Summer Hours" is a true treat and one of the most heartfelt and touching films I've viewed as of recently. The film looks at one family, a rather large one, consisting of a mom and her three children along with their families all revolving around the mother's beautiful country estate.

In this estate there are many artistic pieces ranging from furniture, paintings, glassware, sculptures and much more all with some value; sentimental or financially valuable. The mom is sensing her mortality and tries to talk to her children, most notably her eldest Frederic who is the only one living in France still, about what comes after her passing.

The subject proves a little much and it is pushed aside as their families are all moving about and have much going on while their mother sits in her estate of memories with only the housekeeper to keep her company.

Shortly after a big party in which the mom had all her children over and tried discussing her will and plans, she sadly dies and the children are forced to confront and settle everything that they have put out of their minds for so long.

It really is a poignant and touching Drama that shows both a personal look into one families dilemmas and situation but makes it universally applicable in the viewer's own personal life and family situations.

The film really touched me and touched upon many situations and complications in my own family and really spoke to me at a very deep level. I would certainly recommend this to anyone as pretty much anyone who devotes the short film length and engages with it, can pull something useful that they may have been pushing away too.