3/10
Roman holiday
6 March 2013
Warning: Spoilers
As this story begins, we watch Frederic, a young French painter, accelerating his car and crashing into a tree. We have no clue as to what appears to be a state of mind that drove this man into doing such a terrible act. In flashbacks we are introduced to Paul, a fried of the painter, who serves as the narrator of the story. Paul, a bit player in movies, met Frederic as a mutual friend took him to the painter's place, where a painting catches the eye of the actor. Paul, who by now is living with Elisabeth, an actress he met on location, is invited to go to Rome to see first hand the works of Frederic.

Frederic, who is married to Angele, an actress, whose work is finally being recognized, spends his summer in a magnificent house where he works. Angele, is an unhappy woman. She reveals to Elisabeth the state of her relationship with Frederic. She confesses to her friend her husband's fondness for visiting prostitutes. She, herself, has no problems in her involvement with men, something that her husband senses, but never questions Angele. Angele, working on a new film is involved with the director, Rolande, a friend of her husband's. She has come into the conclusion her marriage is a sham and must leave him. Thus, the state of mind of Frederic when we met him.

Philippe Garrel, the director of "Un ete brulant", must have had his son Louis in his heart to lead this project, as it becomes apparent it was a vehicle for his son. Written by M. Garrel in collaboration with Caroline Deruas-Garrel and Marc Cholodenko. It is based on the life on a friend of the director, a painter, whose life served as the basis for the scenario. Paul, the actor friend, is a revolutionary, but alas, he likes the worry free life his friend Frederic gives him in a beautiful surrounding without any care in the world, or much less, worries about money he obviously does not have. Paul makes statements as far as how a revolution must happen, sooner or later, and his complete abhorrence for the then French president, Nicolas Sarkozy.

Best thing in the film is Celine Sallette, Paul's lover and future wife. She watches quietly how her hosts' lives unravel and end badly. Louis Garrel has handsome looks with an unruly mop of black curls. His Frederic is a study in despair, in spite of having fame, he is miserable because of the way Angele drifts apart. Monica Belucci, a gorgeous woman, does not show anything in this film with her flat performance, something that surprised this viewer. Her appearance in the film is a puzzle, the way her role was conceived. Maurice Garrel, the father of the director, shows up briefly as the dead grandfather.
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