(2009; L'heure d'été, French and English) An hour into this film about a flimsy family drama over the fate of a mother's inheritance for her children by writer/director Olivier Assayas I was bored beyond yawning, though I watched to the end when not even very pretty Sylvie (Alice de Lencquesaing) and her teenager friends partying in the old house could arouse my interest.

Hélèn Berthier's (Edith Scob) three children, their spouses, and her grandchildren have come to see her for a family reunion and to celebrate her 75th birthday in her old home in the French countryside. She takes her eldest Frédéric Marly (Charles Berling), an economist teaching in Paris, through the house on an inventory tour, pointing out the more valuable objects, in particular the pair of Corot paintings, and furniture. Her collection of her uncle Paul Berthier's sketches will also be of great interest to art collectors.

She has left instructions for the disposition of certain items, but it will be left up to her three children to decide what will be done with them. When everyone else has driven off, she says to her long-time housekeeper Éloise (Isabelle Sadoyan) that after her death her memories, her secrets, her stories will disappear, leaving only the residue of these objects.

Following a tiring trip to San Francisco for an exhibition of Paul's works, Hélèn has died; Frédéric takes charge of the funeral arrangements and cemetery plot. His sister Adrienne (Juliette Binoche), a clothing designer, returns from New York; his brother Jérémie (Jérémie Renier), who is preparing with his wife Angela and their three children for a five-year commitment in Beijing, also makes his presence.

They discuss whether or not their mother and Uncle Paul had a sexual relationship above and beyond her passion for his artworks; after their father, "Radiator" Marly, died, she took back her maiden name and spent much time with the artist.

Jérémie admits he needs the money more than a house he won't have time for while in China; Adrienne, in announcing her engagement to her long-time American boyfriend James (Kyle Eastwood), says she doesn't want to take sides, but she as well won't be able to make her way back to France more than once or twice a year. They agree that what's most important for their mother's sake is to keep alive the memory of Paul Berthier; everything else, except for some sentimental items, should be sold at auction, including the Corots.

However, Maître Lambert points out that without a significant donation to the state the estate tax will be to the max. Arrangements are made with the curators of the Musée d'Orsay. To his wife Lisa (Dominique Reymond), Frédéric confesses his deep regret for letting the house and both Corots go.

All along Éloise knew that Hélèn anticipated events taking this direction, which depressed her; the loyal servant takes with her as a souvenir of affection what she believes to be an ordinary vase (it's actually the mate of a valuable museum piece) for herself to put flowers in memory of Hélèn. Walking through the museum, looking at the objects in their glass cages, Frédéric finally accepts their fate as irretrievable pieces of the past; but Sylvie at the old home begins to realize what has been lost to her.

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Copyright © 2009 Patrick Ivers. All rights reserved.
Reproduced with the permission of the copyright holder.

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