Year: 2012 | Directed by: Mia Hansen-Løve | Roundup Rating: A-
It comes easy for me to relate to Un amour de jeunesse, and I expect every one will, because no one is exempted from being heart broken. The story between Camille (acted beautifully by Lola Créton) and Sullivan traverses from their youth into the next decade; from their obsessive young love and separation, journey into adulthood, reunion until their ultimate parting ways. At one point I find her pathetic for holding on to him like there was no tomorrow. And I agree with Sullivan that they should have their own life experiences in order not to be bored with each other. But then again, when you are a young girl love blinds you. Nobody can claim that they've been wise with their relationship during their youth. What we are is either a reckless or a fool.
This isn't one of those French films that serves only to confound its viewers or to show some skin, but I think this movie allows us viewers a chance to reflect on our own loves and it gives us that necessary feeling that we are not alone in the world. In my opinion, a great art is a give and take relationship -- it is not masturbation.
Mia Hansen-Løve's bittersweet love letter to first love is both sincere and heart-wrenching. There was never a moment of fakery for the sake of awesomeness. If I was ten years younger when I saw this movie I would have said that Sullivan is an arsehole. But time has a funny way of soothing our wounds open like a balm. In fact, most of my untoward opinions is directed to Camille, only because I can see in her my own stupidity back then. Maybe I didn't do the same things she did or go to the same lengths for the sake of love, but needless to say I am reminded of the many nights I cried for someone, which is very much laughable now in retrospect. I was constantly rooting for her to have a successful career after they broke up and then I fell in love with her relationship with the architect because what they have together is not something childish. It is a mutually satisfying relationship between two adults, which involves respect, understanding and maturity, something that you can only appreciate when you're older.
I do love this movie a lot and I would watch it again in a heartbeat. I feel like it is a time capsule and a rite of passage for everyone who's been on the same road before. Like the best way to find ourselves is by losing ourselves. As expected, French films do not elaborate much on details with the ending and I think this movie ended the way it's supposed to be. I've gained my own closure when the hat flew into the river and she loses all care for it. Life's like that, you have to go with the flow. It's perfect.
