Bonjour Tristesse is a divergent, understated remake in an economic system of such movies, which matches down extra pensive thematic and stylistic avenues. In the summertime within the south of France, teenage Cécile (Lily McInernry) is stress-free away together with her father Raymond (Claes Bang) and his girlfriend Elsa (Nailia Harzoune). Nevertheless, Raymond then publicizes that they are going to be visited by an “outdated good friend” of his and Cécile’s mom, Anne (Chloë Sevigny), who catalyzes rigidity within the beforehand tranquil setting.
Cécile and the viewers see Raymond breaking apart with Elsa for Anne coming from a mile away. Anne instantly assumes the authority of a dad or mum, and Cécile conspires together with her boyfriend Cyril (Aliocha Schneider) and Elsa to interrupt them up. 2024’s Bonjour Tristesse appears to pivot the main target of the unique by highlighting Cécile’s bond with Elsa and providing some muted reflections on womanhood, however on the subject of the identical ending, the ultimate product is discordant.
Bonjour Tristesse Has A Breathtaking Backdrop For Its Story Of Infidelity, Household Drama & Coming-Of-Age
It is Much less About The Luxurious & Extra About Every part Being Beautiful However Every part Being Mistaken
Bonjour Tristesse lulls you into its beachside French setting — it’s somberly magnificent, and we’re handled to an endless sequence of gorgeous postcard vignettes of the characters. It strikes at a wierd tempo, and you start to suppose your complete film would possibly simply be these snapshots of domesticity and socialization accompanied by the gorgeous imagery, music, and the sound of the ocean. The brand new household fortunately dances of their villa, a younger couple kisses with the glittering ocean behind them, Cécile lounges on the seashore or the patio.
The setting houses in on the shimmering idea of summer season romances, each with Cécile’s first joyful love and Raymond biking by supposedly everlasting companions.
Noticeably, there are a lot of prolonged close-ups of meals preparation, or different duties being accomplished, but these momentarily central facets of the delicacies, the house, and private gadgets are simply as visually nice, from vibrant fruits to tender lace bedding. However it’s like all these characters are specializing in no matter they will discover to do with their palms to distract from the painful discomfort. In an indefinable manner, the locale appears to quietly query what these characters suppose they’re doing.
There’s loads of subtext about previous battle, however it’s across the halfway level that Bonjour Tristesse takes the type of a extra typical interpersonal drama. When the backdrop does not change, it places a unique perspective on all of it. The setting houses in on the shimmering idea of summer season romances, each with Cécile’s first joyful love and Raymond biking by supposedly everlasting companions. We’re pressured to query how reliable these romances are when every part is so fairly but so dysfunctional.
Bonjour Tristesse’s Themes Fall Flat When The Villain Of The Story Is Fairly Apparent
It is Too Simple To Disagree With The “Lesson” Cécile Learns
Cécile is evidently a lot nearer to Elsa and was having a summer season the place her coming-of-age was characterised by Raymond granting her the area to find herself. Oddly, the teenager nonetheless has moments of reference to Anne earlier than and after the breakup. Anne is an fascinating, self-made lady who has an affectionate historical past with each of Cécile’s mother and father. Ultimately, Cécile involves imagine that Anne is genuinely making an attempt to make them a household, and he or she simply begins feeling responsible about manipulating her father — however the issue is that Raymond fully falls for it.
This was a season that modified Cécile’s life, not completely for the higher and not likely her fault.
Bonjour Tristesse concludes on the word on the influence Anne and the entire affair of the summer season has had on Cécile, leaving each her and Raymond sadder general as they mirror on grief and love. Cécile is coping with some regrets when the entire thing would not have occurred if Raymond hadn’t betrayed each Elsa and Anne. I could not sympathize with Anne after I thought she was overstepping some boundaries as a would-be stepmother. This was a season that modified Cécile’s life — as she realized classes from watching messy adults make their very own errors. It isn’t completely for the higher and not likely her fault.
The way in which the 1958 film approached the plot made it appear to be Elsa was an affordable fling, and Cécile was a egocentric teenager who needed to do away with Anne to keep away from having a accountable dad or mum proscribing her actions for as soon as. This isn’t how the remake comes throughout. The setting and the drama of Bonjour Tristesse complement one another, however the finale is incongruous when the premise and the presentation appear to be on totally different phrases. Whereas the film has a wealthy character, it’s reasonably aimless and may have higher established the way it needed to be totally different from the unique.
Bonjour Tristesse
6/10
- Launch Date
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Could 2, 2025
- Runtime
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110 Minutes
- Director
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Durga Chew-Bose
- Writers
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Durga Chew-Bose
- The setting and the way it’s filmed are attractive and subtly interacts with the characters? interpersonal drama and internal turmoil
- An intriguing coming-of-age story the place Cécile?s insecurities are contrasted with the adults? missteps
- Anne and Raymond being largely unlikable characters distracts from what is meant to be the purpose of the story
- The ending has an unfair impact on the principle character and is inconsistent with the film?s general tone