Fun 80s mish-mash. A bit slow by today's standards.

This is only my second Rohmer. I eagerly embarked on the Seasonal Tales after adoring My Night at Maud's. This one didn't work nearly as well for me.

As in My Night at Maud's, Rohmer is extremely good at drawing us into a world of characters that are startingly, plainly human. They feel totally unassuming. It's an impressive achievement -- although it, at times, gives the drama a feeling of low stakes that doesn't serve it. Especially because here, unlike at Maud's, the drama really does feel embarrassingly low stakes -- not to mention contrived.

Truly astonishing stuff. This is a film I'd like to own and revisit every couple months--to ponder the editing choices, Sandra Huller's performance, and the mysteries of French courtrooms. But most of all, to rewatch that central marital argument.

"Your generosity conceals something dirtier and meaner."

"And now you wake up and you're 40 and you need someone to blame."