My Summer of Love (2005)
Apparently, Pawel Pawlikowski felt that the approximately 1.7 million downbeat films about gay teenage romance wasn't enough, so he threw his hat into that particular ring. What he brings to the table is a beautifully developed sense of visuals and a sure hand with actors, but there isn't much else besides that. The story develops exactly how you would expect it to. Consider: the minute I heard the words "born again" applied to Paddy Considine's character, I knew that you might as well have hung a big placard reading 'HYPOCRITE' on his neck and been done with it. Not that I have any love for religious fundamentalism, but for once, isn't there a director out there who's interested in creating a born-again Christian who actually IS filled with the light of Christ? It's just too easy to go the predictable route, and that's exactly why this film doesn't work. After a while, all there is left to do is drum your fingers on your armrest and wait for the thread to play out. (And what's the film's ultimate message? Trust no one. Am I the only one who sees this film as horribly nihilistic?) There are some good moments, mostly earlier on, but why bother with this second-rate Sapphic failure when you could be watching Heavenly Creatures again?
Grade: C+
Apparently, Pawel Pawlikowski felt that the approximately 1.7 million downbeat films about gay teenage romance wasn't enough, so he threw his hat into that particular ring. What he brings to the table is a beautifully developed sense of visuals and a sure hand with actors, but there isn't much else besides that. The story develops exactly how you would expect it to. Consider: the minute I heard the words "born again" applied to Paddy Considine's character, I knew that you might as well have hung a big placard reading 'HYPOCRITE' on his neck and been done with it. Not that I have any love for religious fundamentalism, but for once, isn't there a director out there who's interested in creating a born-again Christian who actually IS filled with the light of Christ? It's just too easy to go the predictable route, and that's exactly why this film doesn't work. After a while, all there is left to do is drum your fingers on your armrest and wait for the thread to play out. (And what's the film's ultimate message? Trust no one. Am I the only one who sees this film as horribly nihilistic?) There are some good moments, mostly earlier on, but why bother with this second-rate Sapphic failure when you could be watching Heavenly Creatures again?
Grade: C+
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