Olivier Assayas is one of France's most tirelessly prolific directors, partly because he always seems to be "up" for whatever commissions are in the offing: his Cold Water (1994) was part of a series of movies which revolved around the staging of parties; he contributed segments to both the Cannes tribute Chacun son cinéma (2007) and the portmanteau city-movie Paris, je t'aime (2006), and his latest project is part of a four film series produced by the Musée d'Orsay to mark its 20th anniversary. Budgeted at €3m each, the only connection between the films - other than that the museum is to pop up at some point in the narrative - is that they're all going to feature Juliette Binoche.
   This is an understandable commercial decision, as Binoche is easily the most internationally prominent of France's female acting talents - her high profile perhaps explains why one of the UK posters for Summer Hours is simply a photograph of the actress. This does gives a somewhat misleading impression, however, as the film isn't by any means a star-vehicle for Binoche. Instead it's an ensemble-piece about an upper middle-class family who, as the film begins, have come together to celebrate the 75th birthday of matriarch Hélène (Edith Scob) in the latter's cosily rambling country mansion.
   Though apparently sprightly, Hélène is morbidly preoccupied with death, and what will happen to her possessions afterwards - valuable furniture and paintings, and many items connected with her uncle, a famous artist for whom she was muse, model and secret lover. When Hélène dies suddenly a couple of months later, it's left to her children Adrienne (Binoche), Frédéric (Charles Berling) and Jérémie (Jérémie Renier) to decide best how to proceed.
   The first act of Summer Hours introduces the numerous characters - revolving around the luminous, wryly rueful figure of Hélène - and sketches in their relationships, all the while hinting at themes which we presume are going to be examined and developed as the narrative moves forward. But after Hélène's death - which occurs off-screen, like many of the plot's key events - the film loses its focus and its impetus. 
   The main problem is that not a great deal actually happens - there's not very much in the way of conflict or drama, people have mild disagreements without ever threatening to really fall out, the fate of Hélène's belongings causes no serious rancour. Indeed, much of the interest lies in trying to spot which of the various objets d'art (Corot paintings? Majorelle desk? weird Viennese jugs?) will end up revealed as the mega-valuable McGuffin - this makes the picture uncomfortably like a wildly upscale version of The Antiques Roadshow. Of course, several of the objets end up on display in the Musée d'Orsay - and while the museum is presented to maximum visual advantage, the film has a rather ambivalent view about whether this is the best destination for what have previously been much-loved, much-used family heirlooms.
   Though a pleasant enough diversion for a couple of hours - especially for those who love to explore rickety old French maisons and the folk who inhabit them (best value: veteran Isabelle Sadoyan as Hélène's down-to-earth housekeeper, a grumpier cousin of Belle Ombre's Madame Annette) - Summer Hours is ultimately reminiscent of Arnaud Desplechin's Kings and Queen: one senses that there's likely all manner of stuff going on beneath these unremarkable surfaces, but by the end we're not really very much the wiser.
   It's shorter and less pretentious than Desplechin's picture - and so probably won't receive the kind of critical adulation which that film inexplicably obtained from certain quarters - but in the end is yet another example of a so-so French movie which obtains distribution in the UK simply because of its leading lady and its country of origin. It's hard to square this latest, water-treading Assayas with the jolting brilliance of the masterpiece Irma Vep from a dozen years ago. Indeed, it looks like he's overdue some extended vacances, très pronto.
   
Neil Young
23rd July, 2008

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L'Heure d'été
France
103m (BBFC timing)

director : Olivier Assayas (Boarding Gate, Clean, Demonlover, etc)
editor : Luc Barnier (Welcome to the Sticks, Boarding Gate, Palais Royal, etc)

seen 22.July.08 Newcastle (Tyneside Cinema : £3.00)