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Summer of 85

Summer of 85

Romance · Drama · 2020

What do you dream of when you're 16-years-old and in a seaside resort in Normandy in the 1980s? A best friend? A lifelong teen pact? Scooting off on adventures on a boat or a motorbike? Living life at breakneck speed? No. You dream of death. Because you can't get a bigger kick than dying. And that's why you save it till the very end. The summer holidays are just beginning, and this story recounts how Alexis grew into himself.

Movie details

Summer of 85

“Whoever dies first, the other promises to dance on his grave.”

2020 Romance · Drama 1h 41m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

7.4 / 10

Community rating

What do you dream of when you're 16-years-old and in a seaside resort in Normandy in the 1980s? A best friend? A lifelong teen pact? Scooting off on adventures on a boat or a motorbike? Living life at breakneck speed? No. You dream of death. Because you can't get a bigger kick than dying. And that's why you save it till the very end. The summer holidays are just beginning, and this story recounts how Alexis grew into himself.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over Summer of 85?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

François Ozon

Written by

François Ozon

Félix Lefebvre

Félix Lefebvre

Alexis Robin

Benjamin Voisin

Benjamin Voisin

David Gorman

Philippine Velge

Philippine Velge

Kate

Valeria Bruni Tedeschi

Valeria Bruni Tedeschi

Madame Gorman

Melvil Poupaud

Melvil Poupaud

Mr. Lefèvre

Isabelle Nanty

Isabelle Nanty

Madame Robin

Laurent Fernandez

Laurent Fernandez

Mr. Robin

Court is in session

Put Summer of 85 on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Prestige Tourist

“Ambition earns the room.”

The film reaches for consequence and scale, accepting the risk of seriousness instead of shrinking from it.

The prosecution The Popcorn Loyalist

“Importance has entered the chat.”

The production keeps announcing its significance, as though awards-season posture were proof of insight.