Excellent, Without a doubt!!

Excellent, a Must See

Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

.Like the great film, it's made with a great deal of visible affection both in front of and behind the camera.

I loved all the symbolism. Mind you - you didn't need it - nothing came out of left field at all in this movie. In fact, you were shown the denouement right at the outset - no happy endings for this movie then...Even Mommy-dearest's 'earth-shattering' disclosure to Simon, came as no great shakes, because it had been presaged by the scene with Marie snooping through Louise's Filofax and exhibiting over-the-top shock at her surname.It was obvious at the outset that Simon was gay. (!!! - he's FRENCH - how many more clues do you need??? - little joke, there). Then when you meet the 'Adam's Family' back home, it's clear he's not one of them (the Adam's Family, that is!) Then we find out that Simon has the hots for Mathieu who turns out to be a young version of Marc - his mother's toy-boy*.So - S&M are going to get it together, oui? Non - parce que LOUISE and Mathieu effectively get married at the Family's Christmas do. Louise is in her wedding dress. The 'Young married couple to be' (NOT specifically S&L) are toasted, and M&L have their post-wedding dance together, with a salutary 'guard of honour' supplied by the local 'matelots'.So that's both S&M AND S&L killed with one stone.... and talking of birds, the seagulls telegraphed the state of S&M's relationship at the outset.At the Lighthouse (a monster boner, BTW - signifying what a stud-muffin M is!) Mathieu's seagull was dead, never to be seen and 'yuk' (rotten) and outside on the balcony.Simon's seagull was also dead, but preserved in S's bedroom, wings outstretched, head turned as if in grief, in the exact same pose as the b&w photo of a Michaelangelo bust, in S's photo portfolio.So S was preserving his feelings for M, whereas M's feelings for S were dead, defenestrated and left to rot.... and it took LOUISE to literally tell us this fact. Appreciative applause - a master stroke!) The wheeling seagulls permeated the seaside environs, symbolising the very whirlwind, which is life and love, of course...* So apart from being French, why else is Simon gay? Very possibly because he didn't have a father. He had a cold relationship with his mother's husband, and so spent his life 'looking for Dad' which is how SOME interpret homosexuality.No surprise then, that Mathieu is the spit of Marc - his real Dad. No surprise either that the erotic bed scene of S on M's bed, is echoed at the end, with S on his Dad's bed - the other M.Incidentally, we know well in advance that Marc is Simon's Dad, because Marie spells it out in discussion with Louise about her real relationship with S. 'Like sister and brother?' All good stuff. You know what the outcome's going to be way in advance, but unlike Star Wars, it's a very entertaining and enjoyable ride getting there all the same.

In many respects, I could tell that this movies convey a rather deep meaning and not just ordinary teenage-gay-boy romance story which mostly end up in either bad or happy ending. This movie is alike to many of other French movies that I saw before which contains little or minimal dialogue. It conveys the message through showing "symbolic scenes".However what troubles me the most is not such 'absence of dialogue' but rather the clarity and sense of direction in the film. The love that grow between Simon and Matthew is only evident somehow in the middle of the film but for the rest - it is clearly unclear of what Simon thinks or at least other characters should have played greater role to clarify the role of the main character. As a result of this unclarity - all scenes appear to be just randomly and awkwardly put in.The movie is incredibly slow. There is no significant or notable progression that the audience should be rewarded after watching the film for around 2 hours.Aside from the talented and good looking actor Gaspard Ulliel (who played Simon), there is no other aspects of either in the story or plot that makes me eager to recommend this film to the general audiences.5 out of 10

A wonderfully atmospheric French film, THE LAST DAY details a Christmas holiday with the family of an art student, and the beautiful young woman he encounters on a train, during which lives unravel terribly. Writer/director Rudolphe Marconi is adept at slowly piecing together the story without undue dialog or exposition. His cinematographer, editor and production designer have all contributed to his vision of a beach-side home and environs with a cold, blue palette that will have you wrapping your sweater more tightly. Gaspard Ulliel ("Strayed," "A Very Long Engagement") is compelling as the lead, and the film offers the wonderful Nicole Garcia ("Alias Betty") another strong role in which to shine. A family mystery of sorts, some of the clues may be dropped too soon (we figured things out well in advance), yet due to the fine acting, atmosphere and characterization, the film still pulled us along and left us jolted, moved and chastened. Secrets this important should never be withheld from those you claim to love.

I recently saw this movie on the International Filmfestival in Rotterdam and was wondering if someone knew who did the soundtrack. I have this song humming in my head, but cannot find the title and performing artist(s)... The movie is about a young French boy who's being followed on the train from Paris to his home on the coast by a girl. So he brings this girl home with him and his parents assume they are boy and girlfriend. When the girl is introduced to a friend of the boy she starts to fancy him more and the boy starts to feel lonely. It looks like she is using him. She sleeps with him, but has sex with his mate. When you think you have figured it out, there comes a nice twist in the story! I liked it and of course the music!