The premise is clear, and Isabelle Adjani's name carries substantial weight. To begin watching is another matter. The first half hour in particular careens sharply between far-flung moods, quite coming off with unbelievable melodramatic airs. The storytelling begins to solidify thereafter, and the dark heart of the picture reveals itself, but still some curiosities remain that place upper limits on the viewing experience. Part of it is the script - the dialogue and scene writing - surely suffering somewhat in adaptation even as Sébastien Japrisot writes from his own novel; part of it is Jean Becker's direction. One way or another there's an off-putting, brisk curtness to the film, not to mention forthrightness; a lot of scenes and dialogue are often achingly on the nose and exact, peculiarly bald-faced and unsubtle, or in some instances strangely ill-fitting. On top of this we're persistently treated to narration from different characters at different times, their inner thoughts, and in some cases these may interweave with dialogue between characters. The sequencing is also rather rough sometimes, adding to the challenge; there are times when the somber, ponderous strains of the score are injected into a scene in a manner all too precise and gawky. All this is to say that whatever else is true of 'L'Été meurtrier,' it struggles with significant heavy-handedness over its 130 minutes that at some points comes off with soap opera triteness, that dampens engagement to some degree, and that prevents the title from being the best it could have been. In many ways this needed a much more delicate hand, and a more mindful one.
All this is quite unfortunate, for apart from the club-footed approach, there is a great deal to admire here. In fairness, the issues I've described gradually diminish in their prominence as the runtime draws on, and the core substance grows more and more. As the tale comes to a head we see the nuance we wish had been more present all along, and the underhanded intelligence that has been shaping the entirety even through the rough patches. Yes, those rough patches are unfortunate in how they take away from the full value, because what we otherwise have is outstanding. The story Japrisot gives us is dark and ugly - more so than the feature even allows to completely come to bear - and stupendously absorbing and compelling at that. Even through the less convincing bits the dialogue is distinctly piercing; the scene writing is smart and sharp, if sometimes more in the broad strokes than in total realization. Though not always deployed in the most judicious manner, the original music of composer extraordinaire Georges Delerue pointedly lends to the grim tone; Jacques Witta's sequencing presents a problem in some cases, yet more than not I also don't think this could have worked were it given any other form. Brusqueness in the pacing and general execution of scenes is unquestionably concerning for much 'L'Été meurtrier,' and a more finessed approach would have allowed the same scenes to have landed with far more impact, but even so Becker's direction is overall fairly strong and proves it more over time.
In light of the matters above I think the cast are somewhat affected in turn, which makes it all the more impressive as and when they do shine nevertheless. In a smaller supporting part Suzanne Flon is a gift all the same, bringing "Cognata" to life with a kindly aloofness that's a welcome smidgen of counterbalance to the fierceness that the plot mostly represents. True at some points more than others, Alain Souchon demonstrates notable range as Florimond, or "Pin-Pon," inhabiting the beleaguered, lovesick man through a gamut of feelings that are thusly made all the more vivid. Not to count out anyone else involved, who all do so much themselves to help build the sordid tableau (it's notable that this marks one of the earliest screen appearances of Maïwenn), but I think it's safe to say that above all star Adjani is the primary beating heart of the movie. Why, save for perhaps the totality of Japrisot's narrative, I don't think it's unfair to say that Adjani is the chief draw of 'L'Été meurtrier'; it's not for nothing that she earned another César award for her turn as complex, troubled Eliane. Prevalent as Eliane is in the writing, Adjani's performance is afflicted most by the heavy-handedness of the production, but still she is a beacon of acting skill with precious few points of comparison - and just as the difficulties of the presentation subside over the runtime, so too is Adjani all the greater in turn. Whatever a part demands she is able to give wholly of herself to realize it, with formidable emotional depth, poise, physicality, sensuality, nuance, range, you name it. I still think her previous and first César-winning show, Andrzej ZuLawski's 'Possession,' remains her finest hour, yet for the places she goes as an actor with Eliane, there can be no doubt that she aptly illustrates once more why she is so singular a performer.
By all means, this is also superbly well done in other regards; the crew behind the scenes did a fabulous job. The production design and art direction are impeccable. The costume design, hair, and makeup are tremendously fetching, not least as Adjani is so much the focus of the camera. Any stunts or effects that are employed look swell, and any instances of violence are executed with realistic bite. Far more than not this is a terrific picture, and I would rather like to say that I like it more than I do. I still keep coming back to those issues that drag down the experience at the outset, however; had a little more care been applied from the start the movie would only have ascended to even greater heights. Be that as it may, that 'L'Été meurtrier' succeeds as much as it does speaks so well to the strength it boasts, and the capabilities of all involved. Isabelle Adjani and Sébastien Japrisot do the most to carry the film in my opinion, yet they're certainly not alone, and even for all the weaknesses or deficiencies these are two hours very well spent. Content warnings are very necessary for sexual assault, otherwise violence, and nudity, and I think it's just as true that potential viewers should be aware of how the title begins a tad meekly before slowly finding its footing. With all this having been said, I'm still happy to give 'L'Été meurtrier' my very high, hearty recommendation, for the excellence it can claim at its best handily outweighs the flaws it's saddled with at its worst. If you have the opportunity to watch, this is well worth seeking out.
All this is quite unfortunate, for apart from the club-footed approach, there is a great deal to admire here. In fairness, the issues I've described gradually diminish in their prominence as the runtime draws on, and the core substance grows more and more. As the tale comes to a head we see the nuance we wish had been more present all along, and the underhanded intelligence that has been shaping the entirety even through the rough patches. Yes, those rough patches are unfortunate in how they take away from the full value, because what we otherwise have is outstanding. The story Japrisot gives us is dark and ugly - more so than the feature even allows to completely come to bear - and stupendously absorbing and compelling at that. Even through the less convincing bits the dialogue is distinctly piercing; the scene writing is smart and sharp, if sometimes more in the broad strokes than in total realization. Though not always deployed in the most judicious manner, the original music of composer extraordinaire Georges Delerue pointedly lends to the grim tone; Jacques Witta's sequencing presents a problem in some cases, yet more than not I also don't think this could have worked were it given any other form. Brusqueness in the pacing and general execution of scenes is unquestionably concerning for much 'L'Été meurtrier,' and a more finessed approach would have allowed the same scenes to have landed with far more impact, but even so Becker's direction is overall fairly strong and proves it more over time.
In light of the matters above I think the cast are somewhat affected in turn, which makes it all the more impressive as and when they do shine nevertheless. In a smaller supporting part Suzanne Flon is a gift all the same, bringing "Cognata" to life with a kindly aloofness that's a welcome smidgen of counterbalance to the fierceness that the plot mostly represents. True at some points more than others, Alain Souchon demonstrates notable range as Florimond, or "Pin-Pon," inhabiting the beleaguered, lovesick man through a gamut of feelings that are thusly made all the more vivid. Not to count out anyone else involved, who all do so much themselves to help build the sordid tableau (it's notable that this marks one of the earliest screen appearances of Maïwenn), but I think it's safe to say that above all star Adjani is the primary beating heart of the movie. Why, save for perhaps the totality of Japrisot's narrative, I don't think it's unfair to say that Adjani is the chief draw of 'L'Été meurtrier'; it's not for nothing that she earned another César award for her turn as complex, troubled Eliane. Prevalent as Eliane is in the writing, Adjani's performance is afflicted most by the heavy-handedness of the production, but still she is a beacon of acting skill with precious few points of comparison - and just as the difficulties of the presentation subside over the runtime, so too is Adjani all the greater in turn. Whatever a part demands she is able to give wholly of herself to realize it, with formidable emotional depth, poise, physicality, sensuality, nuance, range, you name it. I still think her previous and first César-winning show, Andrzej ZuLawski's 'Possession,' remains her finest hour, yet for the places she goes as an actor with Eliane, there can be no doubt that she aptly illustrates once more why she is so singular a performer.
By all means, this is also superbly well done in other regards; the crew behind the scenes did a fabulous job. The production design and art direction are impeccable. The costume design, hair, and makeup are tremendously fetching, not least as Adjani is so much the focus of the camera. Any stunts or effects that are employed look swell, and any instances of violence are executed with realistic bite. Far more than not this is a terrific picture, and I would rather like to say that I like it more than I do. I still keep coming back to those issues that drag down the experience at the outset, however; had a little more care been applied from the start the movie would only have ascended to even greater heights. Be that as it may, that 'L'Été meurtrier' succeeds as much as it does speaks so well to the strength it boasts, and the capabilities of all involved. Isabelle Adjani and Sébastien Japrisot do the most to carry the film in my opinion, yet they're certainly not alone, and even for all the weaknesses or deficiencies these are two hours very well spent. Content warnings are very necessary for sexual assault, otherwise violence, and nudity, and I think it's just as true that potential viewers should be aware of how the title begins a tad meekly before slowly finding its footing. With all this having been said, I'm still happy to give 'L'Été meurtrier' my very high, hearty recommendation, for the excellence it can claim at its best handily outweighs the flaws it's saddled with at its worst. If you have the opportunity to watch, this is well worth seeking out.