By Chlotrudis Independent Film Society
Rating: 3.5 cats
Director: Francois Ozon
Starring: Benjamin Voisin | Félix Lefebvre | Philippine Velge
Original language title: Été 85
Country: belgium, france
Year: 2021
Running time: 100
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10457128
Chris says: “Francois Ozon’s umpteenth feature is cinematic comfort food, a queer, coming-of-age period romance set in a beautifully shabby town off the Normandy coast. The twist (partially revealed at the start) and flashback structure distinguishes this from other like-minded films along with the refreshing notion that neither the lead nor his beloved is struggling with their sexuality. Charming and bighearted, it also out-stays its welcome a little bit and altogether seems pedestrian for Ozon, who has made better (and to be fair, worse) confections than this. 3 cats
“TIFF 2020 Reviews”
Michael says: “I have seen 12 out of François Ozon’s 19 narrative feature films, with SUMMER OF 85 being his most recent to be released in America. I’ve liked many of his films, while many other have left me quite chilly. I wasn’t really expecting a lot from this coming-of-age, cum summer romance between two beautiful young men (barely) in a seaside resort town in France. It seemed fairly straight-forward, except we are immediately dropped into a flashback where we know something terrible has happened. It quickly became apparent that this film had a bit of a melodramatic, nearly camp undertone that underlay the over-the-top romanticism of one young man’s first love, and another’s capriciously tormenting actions that lead to devastating consequences. The passion swirling around the boats on the sea, or in the fishing shop where the two boys work with one of their mothers is sweeping, and something that hopefully we have all been caught up in at least once in our lives. It certainly seemed authentic from a teen point of view, and somehow it all worked for me. Not in a serious way, but in a fun, over-the-top way. After all, the film was based on a novel called Dance on My Grave, so what do you expect? 4 cats“