A teenage pact with death becomes a bittersweet lesson in the nature of love
In short: In the summer of 1985, a near-drowning in Normandy sparks a whirlwind romance between two boys. But when a tragic motorcycle accident cuts their six-week affair short, a secret pact forces one survivor to confront the reality behind his idealized memories through the transformative power of writing his own story.
Directed by François Ozon and released in 2020, Summer of 85 is a romantic drama adapted from Aidan Chambers' 1982 novel, Dance on My Grave. The narrative follows 16-year-old Alexis, who becomes obsessed with death after a sailing accident leads him to David Gorman. Their relationship is intense and short-lived, defined by shared adventures and a deepening intimacy that Alex later describes as the happiest period of his life. However, the bond is complicated by David's volatile nature and his eventual infidelity with a British tourist named Kate.
The film’s structure alternates between the boys' burgeoning romance and the aftermath of David's fatal motorcycle crash. Driven by a pact they made to dance on the grave of whoever died first, Alex is arrested while attempting to fulfill the promise. This legal crisis, coupled with the encouragement of his literature teacher, leads Alex to process his grief and disillusionment by writing down his experiences. Through this act of creation, he begins to realize that he had constructed an idealized image of David, rather than seeing the boy as he truly was.
Critics have noted the film's sensitivity to the contrasting social and family backgrounds of the two protagonists. While Alex struggles with his working-class parents and a desire to write, David is tethered to his family's fishing equipment shop. Ozon, who shot the film on Super 16 stock to evoke his earlier work, crafts a story that functions as a Künstlerroman—a narrative of artistic growth. By the film's conclusion, Alex finds a form of healing, moving past his obsession with death to find a new, quiet connection with the world around him.
The film received generally favorable reviews, with an 81% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes and a 3.9/5 score on AlloCiné. Reviewers have praised the performances, particularly Benjamin Voisin's portrayal of David's darker charms and Félix Lefebvre's nuanced depiction of a young man awakening to the complexities of love. It stands as a reflective exploration of how we project our desires onto others and how the act of storytelling can help us navigate the lingering after-effects of first love.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Summer of 85
- Also: Summer of 85
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