Summer Hours

Olivier Assayas
2009

Olivier Assayas departs from his hyper-modern globalization-heavy thrillers ("Boarding Gate" (2007), "Demonlover" (2002)) to show his range as a director with this little bourgeoisie drama about memory and moving on. Three siblings debate what is to be done with the family's summer house, filled with valuable paintings and furniture, upon the death of their Mother, the house's guardian and curator. One brother is on the verge of relocating to China, and the sister has already expatriated to New York, leaving the eldest brother no choice to but to give up the house and mourn it's loss. The picture is exceptionally low on conflict, instead relying on character study and a quiet, contemplative emotionalism. The petty disagreements with quick resolutions are handled in a wonderfully realistic manner by the director, and the performances convincingly suggest rock-solid sibling ties. The final surrendering of the house creates a link to Assayas's modern films, with the family giving up tradition and provincialism for the pursuit of global capitalism. Instead of grandchildren running around Grandma's desk, school tours will view the desk in a cold museum.