Forbidden love has been a topic that filmmakers have written and directed films about for decades now. Whether it be man on woman, woman on man, or even man on man, woman or woman, films about forbidden love have intrigued audiences for many years. They have a kind of steaminess that draws people in. Similar to a good book about these topics, Catherine Breillat made another such film, Last Summer. A French forbidden romance.  

Anne (Lea Drucker) is a successful lawyer in France. She’s married to Pierre (Oliver Rabourdin) and their two adopted daughters Angela and Serena. When her husband’s son Theo (Samuel Kirchner) comes to live with them for the summer so he can reconnect with his father he develops an attraction to his father’s wife. This attraction threatens her life with his father and step-sisters as well as her career. It puts her in a difficult situation.

The director starts this story with playful moments of hanging out at a lake with the family or going to the story riding on the back of a scooter, but the affair quickly progresses into kissing and eventually sex. This forbidden love is not something Drucker’s character wants, but she can’t deny the passion she has when she lies with a young man half her age. She knows it’s wrong, but she can’t resist it. Eventually, this affair has to stop one way or another.

The lure of attraction to the opposite sex is something that is very natural for all of us. Especially for an older woman being attracted to a younger man. When she sees her husband he doesn’t look that appealing to her while the young man does. She still has an alluring factor about her with a voluptuous figure. Big boobs, blonde hair, and a friendly demeanor.  Any young man his age would be attracted to this woman. I’m sure I would if I were him.  Their sexual drive didn’t prevent this affair from progressing further than it should have either. That’s where the true problem came into effect.

As the director and of the writers Breillat puts the viewers watching this film in a difficult position. She wants us to be all in on the affair until it has gone on too far. Then she asks us to choose one specific side between the two people. It’s obvious what side she wants us to take. She tries to say that adults are responsible for their actions, but underage people aren’t. That’s a slippery slope to slide down. This story is one that isn’t enjoyable to watch from this perspective.  

Drucker and Kirchner are both good in their roles. One has to play their character as serious and business-like. While the other is playing their character as very emotional and cries a lot. The dichotomy of these two helps the movie progresses in a good way. Even though this isn’t a good situation. These are actors I haven’t been that familiar with in the past, but I am very interested in them from now on. 

Last Summer is a good film that deals with difficult subject matter. This kind of affair is strictly forbidden in general circles in this country, but this is a French film that takes place in France. These kinds of things are part of French culture regarding the steaminess of older people and younger people. This happens a lot in European countries. That Doesn’t make it right though. The director has put the audience watching this film in a difficult situation. It wasn’t easy to watch this movie. It doesn’t make it a bad movie though. It is decent and has a compelling story worth watching despite its subject matter.

3 stars

Dan Skip Allen