Directed by and starring Jacques Tati.
With the expression "summer movie" synonymous today with loud, rapidly-edited action and lame excuses for comedy, its refreshing to watch a film like Tati's classic, a movie thats really about summertime. As is the case with much of his work, there isn't much of a story going on, merely a series of scenes connected by a central idea- in this case, people vacationing at a beach resort. The rhythms of the film are leisurely, like a lazy summer afternoon watching the sea, and characters drift in and out of the scenes so that we accept them as people rather than overdetermined characters. Tati was a master of visual gags as well, but they're not of the laugh-till-you-puke variety, but instead are carefully constructed in order to feel completely spontaneous, flowing out of the actions of a scene. Although my own summer vacations seem to have become a thing of the past, Tati's vision lets me remember the fun I once had.
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