Reviewed by Kim Choe
The death of a parent is something every family dreads. As well as the pain of losing someone dear, there’s also the unspoken (often deliberately ignored) realisation that no sooner has the last shovel of earth fallen on the grave, talk will turn to the touchy subject of dividing the deceased’s estate.
It is this that forms the basic premise of Summer Hours. Hélène’s passing reunites her three adult children at their old family home in France. Adrienne (Juliette Binoche) is a designer living in the whirlwind New York art scene and Jérémie (Jérémie Renier, last seen on our screens as Sobran in The Vintner’s Luck) is a hard-working businessman in China, whilst dull economist Frédéric has dutifully remained close to home. The potential for conflict is immediately obvious, as the siblings must choose between preserving childhood memories and recognising that their priorities have changed.
What complicates matters is the family’s vast collection of valuable art, which holds both nostalgic and financial significance. Unfortunately it also drags down the film, as we are given a detailed visual catalogue of what seems like every piece in the house. This may be due to the fact that the film was originally commissioned by the Musée d’Orsay – the upside of this of course being that the artistic references are historically accurate. But as the story progresses, discussions about the artworks themselves threaten to take precedence over the sell or not-to-sell conflict, leaving some aspects of the story unexplored and unexplained.
That said, although the film covers a lot of ground, it does it well. From the difficulty of loss to the pressures of modern-day materialism and the disinterest of younger generations in history and tradition, there is always a skilful balance between humour and drama. It feels quite typically French in its moments of conflict, which are reserved and standoffish, leaving much unsaid – but no less effective than a full-blown argument might be.
The ending puzzled me somewhat - I appreciated its symbolism, but also found it a bit too random and disparate from the opening that it is supposed to reference. Niggles aside, it is quite a touching story, and one that almost everyone will relate to and enjoy.
Three stars.
Summer Hours (L’heur d’été)
:: Director: Olivier Assayas
:: Starring: Juliette Binoche, Charles Berline, Jérémie Renier
:: Running Time: 102 mins
:: Rating: M – drug references
:: Release Date: December 3, 2009
:: Trailer: Click here
