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Last Summer

Drama, Romance, Mystery & Thriller

RatingRatingRatingRatingRating4.1

DirectorCatherine Breillat

ProducerSaïd Ben Saïd

ScreenwriterCatherine Breillat, Pascal Bonitzer

DistributorSideshow / Janus Films

Release Date DateJun 28, 2024, Limited

LanguageFrench (France)

Runtime1h 44m

Introduction

With her first film in a decade, the fearless 75-year-old French auteur Catherine Breillat (Fat Girl, The Last Mistress) proves she's as provocative as ever with her Cannes-stirring film, which drives down the dark road of uncontrollable passion. A remarkably nuanced, radiant Léa Drucker plays Anne, an attorney who has plateaued in her marriage to Pierre (Olivier Rabourdin), a distracted businessman. His son, troubled seventeen-year-old, Theo (Samuel Kircher), from a previous marriage, has recently returned to Pierre's ineffectual and despondent care. When Pierre leaves town for a business trip, Anne and Théo -- confined under the same roof for the first time -- find themselves in the throes of an unexpected and dangerously lustful affair, threatening the stability of the household. Music by Kim Gordon heightens the erotic tension of LAST SUMMER, a film that boldly surveys power dynamics, female desire, and fulfillment.

Critics Reviews

Matthew Lickona2

456

Jul 12, 2024
'Last Summer,' directed by the fearless Catherine Breillat, marks a riveting return for the 75-year-old French auteur. With a nuanced performance by Léa Drucker, the film delves into a dangerously lustful affair between Anne, an attorney, and her stepson Théo, set against the backdrop of a marriage in decline. Olivier Rabourdin and Samuel Kircher contribute to the complex familial dynamics that unfold. The film’s cataclysmic events contrast starkly with its languid, picturesque setting, while Kim Gordon's music heightens the erotic tension. 'Last Summer' compellingly explores themes of power, desire, and fulfillment with a provocative sophistication.

Michael Phillips4.4

319

Jul 12, 2024
"Last Summer," directed by the fearless 75-year-old French auteur Catherine Breillat, is a masterful exploration of uncontrollable passion and power dynamics. With a nuanced and radiant performance by Léa Drucker as Anne, the film delves into the complexities of female desire and fulfillment. Opposite Olivier Rabourdin's distracted businessman Pierre, Anne engages in a dangerously lustful affair with his troubled 17-year-old son, Theo, played by Samuel Kircher. The film's erotic tension is heightened by Kim Gordon's haunting score, making "Last Summer" an artfully sustained piece of sexual suspense and a stirring addition to Breillat's provocative oeuvre.
Last Summer
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