Un amour de jeunesse

Year: 2012 | Directed by: Mia Hansen-Løve | Roundup Rating: A-

It comes easy for me to relate to Un amour de jeunesse, and I expect  every one will, because no one is exempted from being heart broken. The story between Camille (acted beautifully by Lola Créton) and Sullivan traverses from their youth into the next decade; from their obsessive young love and  separation, journey into adulthood, reunion until their ultimate parting ways. At one point I find her pathetic for holding on to him like  there was no tomorrow. And I agree with Sullivan that they should have their own life experiences in order not to be bored with each other.  But then again, when you are a young girl love blinds you. Nobody can  claim that they've been wise with their relationship during their  youth. What we are is either a reckless or a fool. 

This isn't one of those French films that serves only to confound its  viewers or to show some skin, but I think this movie allows us viewers  a chance to reflect on our own loves and it gives us that necessary  feeling that we are not alone in the world. In my opinion, a great art  is a give and take relationship -- it is not masturbation.   

Mia Hansen-Løve's bittersweet love letter to first love is both  sincere and heart-wrenching. There was never a moment of fakery for  the sake of awesomeness. If I was ten years younger when I saw this  movie I would have said that Sullivan is an arsehole. But time has a  funny way of soothing our wounds open like a balm. In fact, most of my  untoward opinions is directed to Camille, only because I can see in  her my own stupidity back then. Maybe I didn't do the same things she  did or go to the same lengths for the sake of love, but needless to  say I am reminded of the many nights I cried for someone, which is  very much laughable now in retrospect. I was constantly rooting for  her to have a successful career after they broke up and then I fell in love with her relationship with the architect because what they have  together is not something childish. It is a mutually satisfying  relationship between two adults, which involves respect, understanding  and maturity, something that you can only appreciate when you're  older. 

I do love this movie a lot and I would watch it again in a heartbeat.  I feel like it is a time capsule and a rite of passage for everyone  who's been on the same road before. Like the best way to find  ourselves is by losing ourselves. As expected, French films do not elaborate much on details with the ending and I think this movie  ended the way it's supposed to be. I've gained my own closure when the  hat flew into the river and she loses all care for it. Life's like that, you have to go with the flow. It's perfect.