Friday, March 9, 2012

That Summer (2011)

That Summer • Un été brûlant (2011)
That Summer • Un été brûlant (2011)

Genre: Drama
Director: Philippe Garrel
Starring: Monica Bellucci, Louis Garrel, Céline Sallette, Jérôme Robart
Language: French
Duration: 95 min.
Rating: 5.2  

Summary:
A contemplative tale of two stormy relationships over one burning hot summer.



That Summer is a film directed by Phillipe Garrel, co-written with Marc Chodolenko and Caroline Deruas. It premiered in competition at the 2011 Venice International Film Festival.

With a cast I adore, a director I respect, and voted 6th best film of 2011 by Cahiers du cinéma, this was one of my most anticipated pictures of the year. Unfortunately this recipe once again delivered another great disappointment.

This languid story of two couples with Rome as a backdrop has shades of Jean Luc Godard's Contempt, but displays none of the captivating insight or beautiful imagery of that masterpiece. It's a bland and unstimulating character sketch that goes nowhere and says nothing. I have to hand it to the director though, it really takes a great degree of skill to make a nude Monica Bellucci boring to watch.

The only thing slightly redeemable here is John Cale's sparingly used but excellent soundtrack, a couple of mildly interesting movie making sequences, and a lovely dance floor scene that takes place midway through the film. A great scene, but it's not nearly enough to save this one. Avoid avoid avoid.

Bonjour Tristesse

That Summer • Un été brûlant (2011)

That Summer • Un été brûlant (2011)

That Summer • Un été brûlant (2011)

That Summer • Un été brûlant (2011)

That Summer • Un été brûlant (2011)

That Summer • Un été brûlant (2011)

That Summer • Un été brûlant (2011)

That Summer • Un été brûlant (2011)

8 comments:

Michaël Parent said...

Too bad! I might watch it anyway 'cause I'm intrigued by it... Especially the Contempt comparison appeals me... And Bellucci!

d_4 said...

You made sure I never saw this by mentioning a boring and nude Monica Bellucci. Just... wtf.

Thanks for the warning, odd as it may be to find them on here, they're probably time savers.

The Angry Lurker said...

5.2 and a nude Belluci, is this your lowest score for a movie..... 

Lisa Thatcher said...

Oh dear!
I will be skipping this one for sure.
Thank you so much for the warning!

Bonjour Tristesse said...

 I'd say just watch Contempt again instead!

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Yeah I usually don't bother reviewing films if they aren't at least a 6, but this one, like Carnage were some of the films I was most looking forward to in the past year.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

I think I've given out a couple 5.0's before but I usually avoid seeing films that I know I won't like, and I try for the most part to avoid writing about the ones I hated.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Haha, you are welcome!

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