- Starring
- Félix Lefebvre, Benjamin Voisin, Philippine Velge
- Writer
- François Ozon
- Director
- François Ozon
- Rating
- n/a
- Running Time
- 100 minutes
- Release Date
- n/a
Overall Score
Rating Summary
This will be one of many reviews during this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, to keep up with our latest coverage, click here.
French filmmaker François Ozon has made a career off of a very specific niche: European, sun-soaked, LGBT-oriented coming-of-age stories that explore the different facets of sexuality and young love. While not all of his films necessarily fit under this umbrella, his latest film is right in his wheelhouse.
Summer of ’85 stars newcomer Lefebvre as Alex, a shy and well mannered 16-year-old boy living in a sea side town on the coast of Normandy. When he takes a borrowed boat out for a test ride which then suddenly capsizes, he is rescued by a mysterious 18-year-old named David (Voisin). From there, the two form a deep connection that develops into something more as they spend every fleeting moment with one another over the course of the summer. However, their relationship became further complicated as Alex realized that David may not be the person he appeared to be.
Meanwhile, the film’s subject matter and setting will certainly garner comparisons to Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name. However, where Summer of ’85 differs is in its heavy reliance on flashbacks and its exploration of youth coming to terms with their own mortality. The film is not as refined or mature as Ozon’s previous works, targeting a younger and significantly wider demographic. Also, the writing itself is juvenile in nature at points as Ozon doesn’t seem to resist from touching upon derivative coming-of-age cliches. Despite its shortcomings, the film ultimately succeeds thanks to phenomenal lead performances and the impeccable chemistry they share along with some truly stunning cinematography that captures the heart of the source material.
Overall, Summer of ’85 is a sentimental, bittersweet and genuinely endearing coming-of-age film that many teens will surely connect to, regardless of their sexual orientation.
still courtesy of TIFF
Follow my blog on Instagram @moviereviews100!
If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter or Instagram or like us on Facebook.
