Summer Hours (2008)
"L'heure d'été" (original title)

Two brothers and a sister witness the disappearance of their childhood memories when they must relinquish the family belongings to ensure their deceased mother's succession.

Director:

Olivier Assayas

Writer:

Olivier Assayas

Stars:

Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling, Jérémie Renier

11 wins & 7 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Juliette Binoche	...	Adrienne
Charles Berling	...	Frédéric
Jérémie Renier	...	Jérémie
Edith Scob	...	Hélène
Dominique Reymond	...	Lisa
Valérie Bonneton	...	Angela
Isabelle Sadoyan	...	Éloïse
Kyle Eastwood	...	James
Alice de Lencquesaing	...	Sylvie
Emile Berling	...	Pierre
Jean-Baptiste Malartre	...	Michel Waldemar
Gilles Arbona	...	Maître Lambert
Eric Elmosnino	...	Le commissaire de police
Marc Voinchet	...	Présentateur radio
Sara Martins	...	Atachée de presse

Storyline

In a small town, Hélène is a family matriarch who has devoted her life to preserving the legacy of her artist uncle. However, while her eldest son, Frédéric, wants to preserve her home after her passing, she harbors no such illusions as she prepares her legacy. After her death, her children realize what she anticipated as they come to terms with their inheritance's place in their own lives. In the resulting disposition of their mother's assets, treasured heirlooms of a romantic family past drift away even as their changing modern world confronts the value of their memories.

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Plot Keywords:

memory | childhood memory | inheritance | children | death | 

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Genres:

Drama | Family

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

MK2 [France] Official site

Country:

France

Language:

French English

Release Date:

5 March 2008 (France)

Also Known As:

Summer Hours

Box Office

Budget:

€4,400,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend:

$49,484 (USA) (15 May 2009)

Gross:

$1,641,025 (USA) (21 August 2009)

Company Credits

Production Co:

MK2 Productions, France 3 Cinéma, Canal+

Technical Specs

Runtime:

103 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

At the start of the movie, we see Helena smoking. First, the cigarette is in her left hand, the next shot it is gone, and then it reappears in her right hand.

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Quotes

Éloïse: He said to choose anything. l couldn't take advantage. l took something ordinary. What would l do with something valuable?

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Connections

Remade as Summer Hours

User Reviews

Summer Hours

Summer Hours is a French film in French with English subtitles. It focuses on a family who do not see each other very often due to work and several of the siblings living overseas, but they are reunited and have to deal with an estate and the many belongings of one of the family members. Going through the belongings and seeing their old summer house brings back memories and has an effect on each person individually and some show it more than others and we also see how the many prized pieces of art belonging to the deceased go through being evaluated and how the siblings are going to part with them, or keep them for sentimental value. A lot of these decisions and choices and a look at a once close family who is now reunited is discussed in this film. Summer Hours is not one of your fast moving action packed films, but instead focuses a lot on characters and their lives and how they interact with the ones around them. The performances are all very strong here as is the character development and the dialogue, so for me it was an absolute joy to watch realistic characters deal with real life situations and emotions. The artistic and cultural belongings in the film that is a large focus of the story is also an interesting touch to the story because it really shows some different sides of the characters and for anyone interested in antiques, or art of any kind it is fascinating to watch seeing the impact they have on the museums and the appraisers. While the film does deal with family issues, I do want to stress that it is not a really dysfunctional family that we are observing here and it is not a depressing film to watch. On the contrary it sometimes left me quite uplifted to see how things are passed on from generation to generation and how even the simplest of things can bring back the memories of the ones we love and the times that are very dear to us. The siblings do get along and they do care for each other, but they are all older now and some have families and a lot of them have high demanding jobs and live elsewhere, so they do not really have time for each other, not because they don't care, but because their lives have taken them elsewhere, which I think is a realistic and honest way of looking at families because after all doesn't situations like this happen to us all eventually? There is definitely a lot the film leaves us to think about and I think it also allows us to appreciate our own families and the things that make them special and what brings us together and what will give us everlasting memories. Summer Hours does this without being overly sentimental, or preachy, but it still leaves the viewer with a lot to think about and to cherish about what one just watched. It left me with a peaceful and tranquil feeling and I really enjoyed watching these characters and learning more about them. A moving and intriguing tale that is one of this year's best films.