Renoir

Beautifully photographed, the images manage to catch the essence of Renoir's use of color and light. In a way cinematographer Mark Ping Bing Lee is the real star of this film, creating an atmosphere that tells us more about the characters, and the Renoir's art than all the dialogue combined. (blu-ray is definitely recommended).I also loved the performance by Michel Bouquet - in his 80s as the film was shot -as the slowly dying Renoir, battling to continue his painting until the last. With simplicity and economy. his eyes and gestures let us feel some understanding of the man and his art.Additionally I appreciated the choice to just focus on a brief period near the end of Renoir's life, and his (platonic) relationship with his last muse, rather than the usual sprawling bio-pic approach.On the other hand, I wasn't enamored by the script (or at least the English translation on the subtitles) which kept reducing much of what is said by Renoir and those around him to easy and generic statements about art, pain, joy, creativity. If the images capture the richness of the man's work, the dialogue is often the Hallmark card opposite.Also, perhaps the most interesting part of the story, the return of Renoir's son Jean - who would go on to be one of the great film-makers of all time, from WW I, and his slow falling into romance with his father's muse Andree is jammed into the end of the film, and stays very much on the surface. You know something is amiss when the most emotion you feel in a film is at the cards just before the end credits summing up all the events you didn't see.It's too bad, because if the human stories (and ironically both generations of Renoir did work that was nothing if not about humanity) had matched the beauty of the images this seems like it could have been a great film -- instead of a beautiful but somewhat hollow and emotionally remote one. Still worth seeing, just frustrating.

It's not the happiest story, but the lighting and colors are beautiful. It covers the last couple years of the painter's life, when he was in a wheelchair and losing use of his hands. His nurses would tape paint brushes to his wrists when they'd take him outside.The story covers a time when he began working with a new young model, and her involvement with his family. The artist got new inspiration.The movie was in French so I had to read subtitles.But the scenery, the hair and skin, even the furniture and food were just beautiful. Exactly like his paintings.

Just as the trailer says, this is the story of the events in the summer of 1915, when Jean Renoir returns to the estate of his father, the world famous painter, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and meets Andrée, his father's favorite model. Jean, is there to recover from wounds sustained in the still raging WWI. The movie is fictional in that the dialogue and the daily events of that brief time had to be created to try to give understanding to how Andrée went from being the muse of the famous painter during the war, to the muse of his son, who became a world famous movie director after the war.The basic movie (story, screenplay, acting) is average. But, the reason that I give it 4 stars overall is the cinematography of Mark Piz Bing Lee. Visually, this is one of the most beautiful movies I have ever watched. Every scene is meticulously set up, and bursting with the pastel colors used by the elder Renoir at the time. It was as if Mr Lee had channeled Jean Renoir to show how Pierre-Auguste Renoir viewed his world. In fact, I loved the cinematography so much that on my second watching of the movie, I muted the sound and just watched this beautiful movie in silence.It is amazing that during a few weeks in the summer of 1915 a young women could emerge as the muse of a father and of his son, in 2 different art forms. But, that is what this movie is about... that transition. Be sure to read the dialogue at the end of the movie to know exactly what she did, and what became of her, and of the 2 artists that she so inspired.In French with English subtitles.

This is a beautiful well acted film, with lovely settings and colours, which touches on the last few years of Renoir's life where age and infirmity are beginning to affect his ability to carry on painting. There are two main subplots, one involving the relationship between Renoir and his son, who was to become a great film maker, and the second, involving the son's relationship with Renoir's model, who he was destined to marry. There are also pleasant images of French cultural life set during the early years of the First World War, in a region unaffected by the fighting. I think the film is worth watching for its wonderful scenery and settings however, there will be one important problem for a number of film fans wanting to see Renoir, it is a French language film and there are no subtitles.

I love it...it's all those much overworked reviewer remarks so frequently used but in this case it's true...wonderful lighting, gentle,beautifully filmed,fabulous 'am I in heaven' locations and directed with great care and love...excellent cast...generous acting..lovely colour...one of my most favourite movies ever and one I'll watch over and over...a joy indeed. It's could easily bring a tear to your eye.Today I saw it on the big screen and can recommend you do to then view the DvD at home.

An impressionist view of The story of the Renoir (the impressionist painter) family during the First World War. Slightly confusingly the love interest of Jean, the film maker son, went under a different name later.

Slow paced, gorgeously beautiful evocation of the final years of Renoir the painter and earlier years of his son, Renoir the film director. The beauty of the locations and Renoir's final model contrast with the extreme physical suffering of the old man. Well worth watching.

Didn't realise it was in French, got the gist but detracts from a relaxed watch. Would have enjoyed more in English.