Editor’s Notice: This assessment was initially printed through the 2024 Toronto Worldwide Movie Competition. Greenwich Leisure releases “Bonjour Tristesse” in choose theaters on Might 2, 2025.
The German language may get loads of admiration for its means to articulate difficult emotions and issues (we’re keen on backpfeifengesicht, which mainly interprets to “a face begging to be slapped”), however don’t low cost French for its related refinement. Think about tristesse, which interprets to “unhappiness, gloominess, dolefulness, dreariness, gloom,” and the like, however undoubtedly sounds higher than simply “unhappiness.” It sounds stylish, winsome, so French. Bonjour, tristesse? Oh la la certainly!
Such is the title of Françoise Sagan’s 1954 novel — written when the writer was simply 18, and thus the good age to write down a narrative actually known as “Hi there, Disappointment” — and of each a earlier (superb) Otto Preminger-directed adaptation and Durga Chew-Bose’s intelligent new spin on the story at hand. Whereas remakes can really feel, by their very nature, just like the worst type of retread (to say nothing of remakes of issues first made in one other medium), Chew-Bose’s directorial debut is a pointy providing that provides to the mystique of the unique materials and makes a powerful case for its personal existence.
Chew-Bose’s energy lies in her persistence, as her script isn’t in any respect afraid to lull her viewers right into a state of not fairly boredom, however a minimum of ennui (the French! once more!) earlier than oh-so-gently steering us into a way more stunning, and finally satisfying area. Whereas a lot of the movie appears to be filtered by means of the haze of reminiscence (and, later, remorse), the feelings at its coronary heart slowly click on into place over the course of the movie. The teachings, too.
Cécile (“Palm Timber and Energy Strains” standout Lily McInerny) is wiling her summer season away in fairly fab vogue: at her father’s luxe French seashore home, the place her days are spent cavorting within the surf with good-looking neighbor Cyril (Aliocha Schneider) and her nights are devoted to banal pursuits together with her far-too-indulgent father Raymond (Claes Bang) and his newest girlfriend Elsa (Nailia Harzoune). Cécile’s mom (and Raymond’s spouse) died 12 years in the past, however that doesn’t actually appear to hassle both of them, as Elsa rightly notices that each of them are “superb at spending time.” Not at all times correctly, both, however spending it? You recognize it.
Not a lot occurs to Cécile or Cyril or Raymond or Elsa, who all appear slightly too obsessive about doing nothing, however glamorously, and being acknowledged for it. All of them like to have a look at one another, at themselves, however solely in essentially the most short-sighted of the way. Nobody is considering too exhausting about any of this — why ought to they? it’s summer season! — and there appears to be no purpose to vary. What’s going to occur when trip is over? Nobody is considering that. In any respect.
Principally, it seems like a reminiscence — as if we’re trapped in a photograph album of no matter Cécile occurs to recollect from that summer season, a mish-mash of delightfully hazy moments and stilted, mannered strains. Chew-Bose leans closely on not simply the look of this season, all attractive gentle and ideal framing, but additionally its sounds. Butter scraping a chunk of toast. A knife reducing cleanly by means of an apple. A smacking kiss. It doesn’t really feel fairly actual, nor does it really feel related on a scene by scene foundation. It’s no matter has drifted into Cécile’s thoughts, which we come to suspect is sort of empty.
After which Anne (Chloë Sevigny) arrives. What we would initially suspect is simply one other pearl in an extended string of lush, pretty recollections as an alternative turns into extra of a knot. We all know lots about Anne earlier than she arrives: she was finest mates with Cécile’s mom, she might need had a little bit of factor with Raymond, and oh, the three of them used to have such enjoyable collectively. Anne, all extreme, pulled-back buns and sharp garments, doesn’t appear to have a lot enjoyable anymore, and her arrival on the seashore home shortly turns into way more fraught than anything that has occurred within the intervening weeks.
Cécile will not be silly, however she is foolish — a advantageous distinction that McInerny, who is superb within the position, is adept at navigating — and as Anne’s affect on her blissful residence life takes a flip, {the teenager} is compelled to make some modifications. Notably (and, honestly), that doesn’t embrace a sudden maturation or taking a better curiosity in her duties (Anne’s suggestion she may wish to examine extra earlier than she returns to high school is greeted with disdain and derision), however in wildly shifting her allegiances and cooking up a questionable plan to cast off Anne and getting issues again to no matter regular existed earlier than her arrival.
Whereas Sagan’s novel was written greater than half a century in the past (and Preminger’s movie adopted simply 4 years later), not a lot has actually modified because the creation of “Bonjour Tristesse” till now, a minimum of with regards to the craggy, loopy emotional panorama of being a spoiled teenage lady. For audiences acquainted with the story, the place Cécile and Anne find yourself won’t shock, however newbies will probably be shocked on the efficiency of Cécile’s teenage self-absorption. How might they be, although?
In considered one of her uncommon moments of self-reflection, Cécile complains to Cyril that her equally crafty and merciless plan to rid her and Raymond’s lives of Anne seems like “poison” within her. However was it at all times there? Or can she nonetheless discover a method to get it out? Chew-Bose gives a pointy coda to what unfolds, whereas making it clear that Cécile has nonetheless failed to understand the one truism of life we are able to by no means truly say goodbye to: we’re solely ever ourselves. Nobody grows out of that.
Grade: B
“Bonjour Tristesse” premiered on the 2024 Toronto Worldwide Movie Competition. Greenwich Leisure releases the movie Might 2, 2025.
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