My Summer of Love


Synopsis
Mona and Tamsin are two adolescent girls on summer holiday in the Yorkshire countryside. Mona is a working class orphan with a religious zealot for a brother and Tamsin is a privileged girl with a seemingly boring summer stretched out in front of her. They meet and form a friendship with an increasingly violent force.

Observations
This is not a lesbian movie; it’s a movie that explores the intensity of adolescent sexuality. The first hour of the movie lazily shows the formation of a friendship. The lush green landscapes of Yorkshire and the limited number of actors frame a new reality for the two teenage girls; a reality they have created together. The diversity of their upbringings melt away as they reveal to each other pieces of their own worlds, but then realize that their worlds are really the same -- both full of loss and alienation. But as with most adolescent sexuality, explorations into love and intimacy are sometimes as awkward, self-serving and suffocating as they are romantic and exciting.

The romance that builds between Mona and Tamsin is handled with subtlety and discretion. I found myself holding my breath during their first kiss.

The movie is rated ‘R’ in part because of a fleeting drug scene – the girls eating mushrooms. Blink and you will miss it. More disturbing is seeing the girls smoke like chimneys. I have guess that that is more acceptable for teens in Yorkshire than here in the U.S.

This movie is exquisite. Remember these names -- Natalie Press and Emily Blunt, two stellar young actors who are sure to continue making wonderful films.

If you liked this movie, you should check out Heavenly Creatures. It’s a film that also portrays the diabolical side of teenage girls and is directed by Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings Trilogy).

Rating:

Amazon's entry for My Summer of Love