A Summer's Tale (1996)

Touches You

Sorry, this movie sucks

Highly Overrated But Still Good

It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Summer. A boy. Three girls. And some small decisions. A delicate vision about the form of gesture. About self-definition. And about the things who makes a way more than intention. It may be understand as love-story, comedy or french movie who describe nothing with a rain of words. But, in fact, is only a mirror. An insignificant question about life as spider web. And definition of love's nuances. At first sight, the problems presented are parts of a single age. In fact, they are only roots. Minimalistic and refreshing, as a summer morning, it is a good occasion to define personal word and causes of decisions. Slowly, at leisure. A phone call may be the perfect answer.

Dull French film from this reputable director is "A Summer's Tale" about a teenage guy who finds himself in a dilemma, having to chose between three girls during his summer riposte.Writer/director Eric Rohmer's film could be about the youth of today's lack of ability to be decisive, or perhaps it was focusing on their fear of commitment. "A Summer's Tale" could have been many things, but one thing it was not was interesting. Rarely does the pic grab our attention.The young cast try hard, but they too are left floundering by the weak, non-directional plot. Only Amanda Langlet, as the friendly Margot, delivers a showing that could be called memorable. This young thesp actually handles all the facets of the role very competently.Langlet is the only light though, in a bland coming of age film. Even the classy French scenery is somehow over-looked.Monday, May 4, 1998 - Hoyts Croydon

I couldn't agree more with the previous commenter from Germany in that we are so accustomed to dialogue and plot coming from Hollywood that when something this thoughtful and pure comes along, it just blows us away. I love the way Rohmer slowly guides the audience into the film, without a need for narration, only the sights and sounds of Brittany. When the first words of dialogue begin, it is so natural, but says so much about the characters. "I don't want to plan my life around money", Gaspard tells Margot, and you see him go through a process of writing his sea shantey, a really great little piece of music if you ask me. And to see a five minutes scene with Gaspard and Solene actually singing the song was just riveting. How does rohmer make something so banal on the surface so climactic? On paper, his stories and his characters don't really seem that interesting, but he adds something to them that make them resonate so deeply in me, and I am almost awestruck when it happens.The great thing is that I can say that for almost all of Rohmer's films, especially those that make up the "Tales of the Four Seasons" I can't say I have a favorite because things like favorite or top films just go against the grain of what Rohmer is doing. I read somewhere that Rohmer has never made a masterpiece, in fact, he's never even attempted to. and yet, each character he's given us, Jeanne, Natascha and Igor from Spring, Gaspard and Margot from Summer, Isabelle, Magali, Gerard and Rosine from Autumn, and Felicie and Charles from Winter, are drawn so vividly that I sometimes forget that they are only characters and not people I call as personal friends. In addition, I'd like to add that Amanda Langlet's characters seem to be the only "pure" characters in any of Rohmer's films, both as Pauline and Margot, She is beautiful, kind, intelligent, honest.....whereas his other characters, though likable and sympathetic, all have certain flaws.., some tell lies, some are neurotic, some judgemental, deceitful..self-indulgent, capricious.., so forth.

*** MINOR SPOILER ABOUT A PREDICTABLE EVENT ***Hugely charming film that saw me fall for Amanda Langlet (Margot) within two minutes of her first appearance. Her smile is brighter than a flashbulb.I spent most of my time wishing I could jump up onto the screen but I couldn't decide if I'd hug the always radiant Margot or smack the gauche prat Gaspard for being so oafishly blind to her charms.Sure, it's typically French with it's "je pense, je parle, je fait rien" plot but it's a pleasure to be in the company of some of the characters.Oh, and did I mention that Amanda Langlet alone makes it worth the price of admission?