it is the rare 'crazy' movie that actually has something to say.

Excellent characters with emotional depth. My wife, daughter and granddaughter all enjoyed it...and me, too! Very good movie! You won't be disappointed.

It is a whirlwind of delight --- attractive actors, stunning couture, spectacular sets and outrageous parties.

This movie tries so hard to be funny, yet it falls flat every time. Just another example of recycled ideas repackaged with women in an attempt to appeal to a certain audience.

I borrowed La Baule-les Pins from the library at l'Alliance Francaise de la Chicago. I watched it without subtitles first then rewatched it with subtitles. I rewatched several chapters repeatedly as not to miss a thing. La Baule-les Pins in is Brittany, one of the most beautiful provences in France if it is possible to call one provence more beautiful than another. Obviously, the village is on the Atlantic Ocean. I watched the village as much as the story! I would roughly compare the film to Revolutionary Road or Far From Heaven as both films highlight the struggles of women in the 50s. This film depicts a family that goes through a divorce in 1958. At the time the few people that spoke openly about divorce. And as for telling a child what is going on? Out of the question. Things were pretty much on a don't ask, don't tell basis. No one discussed family crisis outside of the family. If it was discussed within the family it was a war, not a discussion. If there were conflict resolution mediators I had never heard about them because no one would say they were engaged in managing a family crisis! Aside from several parts of the film which are quite obvious I noted one bit of French tradition I detest. So many French people abandon their pets when it's vacation time. If you aren't French you might not understand the tragedy here. Several French animal welfare groups are trying to educate the public not to do this. Part of the film those who lived through war know well. The mother & her sister are not really sisters. They had lost parents during WWII. They were a blended family. They made very lovely sisters. In conclusion I am giving this spoiler. The doll is very symbolic in this film. Notice how it is treated in the very beginning of the film compared to the end. How does the little girl's feeling's change from beginning to end? The children were very good actors. I loved all the characters. The story is rich. The sets cannot be better; lovely houses, gardens, the beach, and there were oyster farms. You have to have an eye to catch the oyster farms! This movie has everything I love about film; drama, rich characters, beauty, history, traditions both good & bad, and France.

I just can't understand why anyone would be willing to have spent all the time, effort, and money it takes to make a film on something like this. It really takes a lot of effort to make a movie. More than a few people in this world felt passionately enough about this thing to write it, direct it, shoot it, rehearse it, finance it, etc, etc. My god! It's not that it's really bad or anything, there just doesn't seem to be any point in it existing. It's a boring movie about everyday people doing everyday crap. Sometimes they hang out at the beach. Sometimes they bicker. There's some kissing. Why? Why not just do nothing instead?

At first, I thought this was a sequel to Entre Nous. Many of the same people who made one film made another, they are supposedly written by and about the same people and the character names are repeated. However, those playing the roles are NOT the same (although Jean-Pierre Bacri stars in BOTH films but plays totally different roles). Because of this, some viewers might be VERY disappointed. It reminded me of the movie A Christmas Story. There was a little-known sequel named Ollie Hopnoodle's Haven of Bliss that had NONE of the original characters or charm--and because of this it was soon forgotten. Now the only difference I see is that both these French films are about equally good. Apart from the many differences mentioned above, this film doesn't seem to have a negative view of men (in Entre Nous, the male leads were all Neanderthals), but portrays the mother in the story as a self-absorbed woman whose kids seemed to be an afterthought--her new boy-toy was about 90% of her focus. Because of this, individuals who watch this film AND have issues with a neglecting mother should think twice before watching--you MAY find this film kicks up a lot of feelings.

I have seen this movie on the German TV yesterday with the title: "A summer at the sea" and I was deeply impressed.Despite that it was produced in 1990, the theme is more up-to-date than ever. Excellent actors of all ages performed very well indeed, a great story, some romantic spots and lovely music will make you thinking about the relationship of children to their parents, their pain and childish emotions which often get hurt.This story could happen today, next month or the following year, next door of you or at any other location or country. So you will get nothing NEW out of that movie but the sad reality of daily life in the eyes of children whose parents can't behave.I only can highly recommend this movie - buy the DVD and you will enjoy it definitively more than just one time.