Review of Summer Hours (2008) by André D — 19 Jun 2009

I just came out of 2 film fests in a span of a month, first at cannes then at indiobravo in new york, so this movie was what you could call my "vacation from my vacation" only it is my "film after my film fests" :P no seriously, wow, this movie was very touching but in a very simplistic, quiet way.

I went to watch it for the only reason that it is shot by my #1 fave DP of all time, eric gautier, whose trademark, breathtaking wide shots go well hand in hand with his signature dramatic captures with his tighter shots.

the story of "l'heure d'ete" is rather mundane but the universality of the subject hits so close to home that I totally felt I knew those characters by heart, as if they were members of my own family.

and I must say frederic, played by charles berling was so well done, in fact there's two scenes of him weeping in the car and also in his room that moved me so much, and thanks to mr. gautier for the way these scenes were so beautifully shot! this is by far one of my most family-themed movies that i've seen and to see paris and the musee d'orsay again was really exciting!