by Annette Basile
Worth: $14.00
FilmInk rates movies out of $20 — the score indicates the amount we believe a ticket to the movie to be worth
Cast:
Léa Drucker, Olivier Rabourdin, Samuel Kircher, Clotilde Courau
Intro:
… thought-provoking …
French writer/director and novelist Catherine Breillat (Romance, Fat Girl) has made the unusual choice to remake a relatively recent film – 2019’s Queen of Hearts from Denmark. Women’s sexuality is a prime theme for her and you can see why she was attracted to this boundary-pushing material.
Léa Drucker is Anne. She’s a successful middle-aged lawyer, seemingly happily married, has two adored adopted girls, and lives in upmarket digs. Anne seemingly has it all – but it’s not enough. When her rebellious teenage stepson Theo (Samuel Kircher) has problems at school and comes to live with her family, she treads into dangerous territory: Anne and Theo become sexually involved.
The stepmum-son sexual dalliance is uncomfortable, but the fact that he looks like he’s in his early teens (he’s supposed to be around 17) makes it even worse. He’s a child. Judgements aside, the attraction seems improbable …
It’s open to discussion whether Breillat wants us to empathise with Anne. If she does, she has failed. It’s hard to understand Anne’s choices and motivations – paradoxically, she defends abused kids in her law practice.
Breillat has made significant changes to the original Danish plotline. It’s visually appealing, with a delicious summery feel. The first half – practically a carbon copy of Queen of Hearts – is quite slow but as Anne and Theo’s relationship becomes more complicated, the film becomes absorbing, and the performances are excellent.
Where Queen of Hearts has a more straightforward narrative and almost thriller vibes, Last Summer dives deeper and is ultimately about family, facades and truth, and it’s this aspect that gives it a thought-provoking quality. Without going into spoilers, there’s much to discuss about this film.
