My Summer of Love (2004)

Summer arrived and my longing to be captivated by a zapping story was increasing as the temperature rose. Last week, I decided to give "My Summer of Love" a try. Critics have received it favorably, and this year it was named the Best British Film at the BAFTA Awards. 'The most dangerous thing to want is more', says its tagline; and sadly, this moviegoer was also looking to get more out of this flick.

The film is set in rural England , where Mona (Natalie Press), a naïve working-class girl, meets Tamsin (Emily Blunt), a wealthy and well-educated young woman. Fierce friendship blossoms between them and step-by-step their private world of love and fascination is built. The acting and direction of the first half of the movie is very refreshing -- for example, we see the girls dance to Edith Piaf's 'La Foule': simply delightful. Nonetheless, as the story develops you realize that there is not enough of a narrative to support the film.

From my point of view, this production recalls too much Peter Jackson's "Heavenly Creatures," but without its powerful results. Both creations have their own style. While "Heavenly Creatures" is a story of rebellion and lunacy, "My Summer of Love" emerges in a more down to earth mood, where shifts in domination between the characters and their explorations are subtly revealed. Very satisfying photography and humor -- but no awesome sensibility included in the experimentation.

Don't misunderstand me, this is a very well-done film, although sometimes predictable and far from striking. However, Pavlikovsky’s work is worth watching. You can still catch it at Landmark Bethesda Row Cinema and Dupont Circle 5.