Monday, December 2, 2013

Renoir 2012

Renoir     This film is set on the French Riviera (Cote d’Azur) in the summer of 1915.  Pierre-Auguste Renoir is still painting but he is elderly with a lot of physical difficulties.  These illnesses caused him to alter his painting techniques.  His wife has passed away and he misses her very much.  His youngest son, Coco is the only one of his three sons living with him.  Pierre, his eldest son, has been injured in WWI and he may need surgery.  Jean, his middle son, returns home to convalesce after an injury to his left leg in the war.  Pierre-Auguste has a new model posing for his latest paintings.  Andree is a free spirit, she causes renewed interest in painting for Pierre-Auguste and Jean begins to fall in love with her.
     This region is very beautiful and the light playing on the landscape makes it even more beautiful.  The pace is slow, dry, thinly written and a lot of things aren’t explained, especially concerning Renoir’s infirmities.  Another problem is with the painting, Michel Bouquet does a very good job at portraying Renoir but when he paints, he makes strokes on the canvas that don’t deposit any paint?  He could at least add some color, even if very little?  3* (This movie is OK)

111 min, Drama directed by Gilles Bourdos with Michel Bouquet, Christa Theret, Vincent Rottiers, Thomas Doret, Romane Bohringer, Michele Gleizer, Laurent Poitrenaux.

Note:  Imdb 6.4 out of 10, 68% critic 57% audience on Rotten Tomatoes. 
Special Note:  Renoir had rheumatoid arthritis and he developed deformities in his hands.  He also had ankylosis of his right shoulder.  This caused the bones to be rigid in the joint.
                                                                                                                            

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