Set on the French Riviera in the summer of 1915, Jean Renoir -- son of the Impressionist painter, Pierre-Auguste -- returns home to convalesce after being wounded in World War I. At his side is Andrée, a young woman who rejuvenates, enchants, and inspires both father and son.
Michel Boquet is a striking physical match for Renoir and gracefully balances his grumpy frailty with an undiminished lust for life, while the baby-faced Vincent Rottiers effectively conveys the anguish of a young man adrift in the shadows of a legendary father.
This dramatisation of the painter's relationship with his son, his model and the new art of cinema leaves all the really interesting stuff out.
Gilles Bourdos’ biopic is plenty pretty but the drama is a still life.
Renoir's celebration of the flesh is beautiful to behold
Glasgow Film Theatre, Glasgow from Friday June 28, 2013, until Thursday July 4, 2013. More info: http://www.glasgowfilm.org/theatre/
Edinburgh Filmhouse, Edinburgh from Friday July 5, 2013, until Thursday July 11, 2013. More info: www.filmhousecinema.com
Dundee Contemporary Arts, Dundee from Friday July 5, 2013, until Thursday July 18, 2013. More info: www.dca.org.uk