Un'estate con Sofia

Only Contemporary European and French cinema can give you both so much simplicity and grandiosity in a plot.

Overall the movie fails in some ways to achieve the depth it wants to achieve, but the coming-of-age theme still struck a chord with me. These slice-of-life scenes - the partying, the low-key drama, the confusion of it all - could be very familiar to all Gen Y or Z viewers.

The movie is very unapologetic in its nudity, sympathetic to a new kind of female character that no movie I have ever seen has been sympathetic to. That extremely realistic, clumsy yet charming karaoke scene was a breath of fresh air.

I wouldn't go so far as to call it a GREAT film by objective standards, but it definitely has a soul, something that not many movies have anymore. Creatively shot and immersive in its simplicity, with a feminist message that is all-inclusive.

While at least one of the main actresses in this was about a decade older than the character she portrayed, you almost buy it. And she plays it loose and "innocent". Though most would not call her innocent at all. Not in any sexual way that is, because she really puts herself out there.

And while she is doing that, her friend is the introvert and able to express herself the same way. Now if you are judging one or the other, that is I reckon fair. But remember that we are all different and we do experience things different. This is about a summer that helps both those girls grow to become the person they end up to be.

Maybe not highly philosophical, maybe not the best movie, but it is quite the decent one. If you don't mind the occasional nudity and sexual situation depicted here that is of course. Sparsely used but still some may feel "offended"

The story revolves around two very different cousins, Naima and Sofia. Sofia, the elder of them, 22 as we learn later, decided to make a living as a good time girl. With her great looks, although much enhanced through surgery, she is very successful in getting in contact with rich, elder men. By accepting expensive presents from them and staying for awhile in their circle until the get bored and find a way to get rid of her, she lives well without a regular work.

This summer of the story she stays with her younger cousin Naima in Cannes where she starts to give Naima little bits of advise how to get around in the world. Naima, only 16 at the time, is rather naive at the beginning, but in the course of the summer, she gets wise to Sofia and starts to see her in a much less admiring light.

Although the title of the film points to Sofia, it is Naima, who is the more interesting character. Sofia already had made her decision how to tackle life, Naima is drawn between the "glamourous" life, which Sofia seems to lead, and normal friendships like Dodo, a young, probably gay, guy who wants to become an actor. And jobs, as her mother, who works as a maid at a very fancy hotel and restaurant, who offers her an internship at the restaurant's kitchen.

Naima is for some time very confused by the sudden mixup with the life of two 40 year old men, one the owner of a yacht, the other his paid companion. While the owner Andrè certainly prefers Sofia and soon has sex with her, the other one, Phillipe, is more respectful towards Naima and figures correctly, that she is still a minor, and keeps his distance.

The whole story is a coming-of-age drama around Naima, who likes her cousin, although she sees things through her, that are shocking.

I didn't know the background of the actress who played Sofia, but I found she looked perfect for the role. Now I know why. As for the young girl who played Naima, she has the more demanding acting role and she handles it very well. Recommendable film!

This movie has the visual style of Call Me By Your Name and just as much action. It's a film set in the summer in Cannes and the main characters are two girl cousins who spend their time together. One, a 16 year naive that doesn't yet know what she wants and a 22 year one that has already found a calling in being an escort for rich men. That's it. The acting is good, the situations believable and we learn how actual people react in actual situations. Yet the film makes no effort in exploring the set up in depth. There are no artificial dramas either. Just a girl figuring herself out. And other than a few breast scenes, it's not particularly erotic either.