Camille Rewinds
2012 · Directed by Noémie Lvovsky
Original language: French
- comedy
- romance
- drama
The story
Camille was only sixteen and still in high school when she fell in love with Eric, another student. They later married and a child and were happy for a while. But now twenty-five years have passed and Eric leaves her for a younger woman. Bitter and desperate Camille drinks so much liquor at a New Year Eve's party that she falls into an ethylic coma and she finds herself... propelled into her own past! Camille is sixteen again when she wakes up this morning, her parents are not dead anymore and she must go to school, where she will meet her schoolmates and, of course, Eric. Is she going to fall for him again and... be miserable twenty-five years later? Or will she avoid him with the result never having her beloved daughter? Who ever said that time traveling was fun?
What it’s like
Bright, unfussy French comedy-drama shot with a loose handheld intimacy: warm interiors, lamplight and kitchen-table daylight, Paris streets in soft grey winter and then the washed-out pastels of the late-1980s setting, with a grainy, slightly faded film texture. Scenes often play in medium close-ups and quick cuts that feel like someone's memory being flicked back and forth, and the score is light and wistful, mostly piano and folk-pop guitar, dropping away to quiet during the emotional beats. The vibe is wry, bittersweet and mischievous, with a sense of rueful self-mockery running under the romance. It suits a rainy Sunday, a comfort watch with a glass of wine, or an evening when you want to laugh at heartbreak without wallowing in it. Pacing is brisk and talky, with plenty of crosstalk and physical comedy, and the emotional arc follows a woman who is both furious and tender about her younger self, slowly rediscovering what she actually values. Moderate drinking, adult sexual references and some raw arguments appear; there is no real violence and nothing graphic. It is for viewers who enjoy grown-up romantic comedy with a touch of melancholy and a playful take on second chances.
More films like Camille Rewinds
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved Camille Rewindsand we’ll explain which ones fit you.
