My Summer of Love (2005)

Rating: * * * * (out of 5)

This film was recommended to me by one of my film professors. We were talking about contemporary British directors as a classmate of mine is interested doing his thesis on the subject. I must admit that I couldn't think of too many distinctive British directors that still work in England. Michael Winterbottom is certainly one of the few. The name Pawel Pawlikowski came up in our discussion. Even though Pawlikowski is born in Poland, he was educated in England and works in England, so I guess that counts.

My Summer of Love is a bittersweet love story between two very different teenage girls in a Yorkshire town one summer. Mona (Natalie Press) is poor, as her working class accent tells us immediately; and Tamsin (Emily Blunt) is rich. Mona lives above a bar with her recovering alcoholic brother, who is now a born again Christian after getting out of prison; Tamsin lives in a mansion with her parents, who we later learn often neglect her. They are both bored although for different reasons.

Reminiscent of the 1994 Peter Jackson film, Heavenly Creatures, which starred Kate Winslet, Pawlikowski's My Summer of Love, however, treats the "love" and sexuality between the girls with much less sentimentality.

One day, while just passing time on the grass, Mona sees a vision of a woman on a horse. It turns out to be the enigmatic Tamsin. The two girls start spending time together and develop a mutual attraction. At home, Mona makes no attempt to hide her disdain for her brother religious conversion. She wants her old brother back. Tamsin, on the other hand, has no authority figure at home. She is well-educated, but spoiled. When Mona is invited into Tamsin's world, she knows that is her only escape. The two girls need each other. In fact, they soon realize that they are made for each other. While this is going on, Mona's brother, Phil (Paddy Considine) is on a mission to save her. The girls' relationship turns out to be not as it seems in the beginning, and so is Phil's relationship with his religion.

Not much in terms of plot happens in My Summer of Love. The story is quite simple. However, the film is filled with mood and suggestions. Director of photography, Ryszaed Lenzewski, captured the summer sun perfectly, and Pawlikowski used it beautifully in many scenes to add a sense of laziness to the mood and a sense of intimacy to the characters.

Not only is Pawlikowski excellent at dramatizing moods, he is also a very perceptive writer. (The screenplay is co-written by Pawlikwoski and playwright, Michel Wynne, from a novel by Helen Cross). He always knows his characters, sometimes better than the characters know themselves. The characters often act in surprising but believable ways.

When Pawlikowski started to work on the film it took him quite some time casting the two lead actresses. The overall casting procedure took about 8 months. Pawlikowski was searching in schools, universities, theater groups and public castings. Eventually he discovered Natalie Press and Emily Bunt. What a find, I must say. They both deservedly earned a BAFTA newcomer award for their performances in the film. In addition to the girls' performances, I am, however, particularly impressed by Paddy Considine's portrayal of Phil. A complicated man with a messy past, Phil is loving and protective one moment, violent and angry the next. Mr. Considine instills the tenderness and danger into his character perfectly.

My Summer of Love is a realistic and compelling film. I love the picturesque cinematography in contrast to the sometimes tender and sometimes devilish relationship of two intelligent teenage girls.


Directed by Pawel Pawlikowski; written by Mr. Pawlikowski and Michael Wynne, based on the novel by Helen Cross; director of photography, Ryszard Lenczewski; edited by David Charap; music by Alison Goldfrapp and Will Gregory; production designer, John Stevenson; produced by Tanya Seghatchian and Christopher Collins; released by Focus Features.

WITH: Natalie Press (Mona), Emily Blunt (Tamsin) and Paddy Considine (Phil).

MPAA: Rated R for sexuality, language and some drug content.Runtime: 86minsYear of release: 2005
Country: UK

Awards:
BAFTA 2005
Best British Film
Outstanding British Film of the Year
Best Screenplay: Pawel Pawlikowski and Michael Wynne
Best Newcomer award: Natalie Press and Emily Blunt


Visit my blog at http://allaboutfilms.blogspot.com/