Last Summer

Ten years have passed since the brilliant writer/director Catherine Breillat graced us with a new project. So you can imagine my excitement when I heard Last Summer was gearing up for its physical media release. Even more interestingly, this movie is based on the Danish movie Queen of Hearts (OT: Dronningen) which I also adore.

I would like to leave any direct comparisons between the two movies aside, as I believe each movie should be able to exist based on its own merits.

My first impression of Last Summer is that the movie is beautifully shot. Breillat invites us to sidestep the norms of society for one summer without getting entangled in any legal or moral subtleties. Furthermore, her direction and clear understanding of emotion, tension, and sexuality help change the perception of this relationship drama from something rather crude to an exciting affair of forbidden desire.

Anne (Léa Drucker) and Théo (Samuel Kircher) absolutely sizzle as they become drawn to each other in the early stages and the evolution of their connection feels organic. The movie remains grounded, however, never crossing the line into outright melodrama or titillation. And in the end, I was left wanting to see more. Last Summer could have gone for three hours and I would have happily been on board. A strong recommendation, especially if you haven't yet seen Queen of Hearts.