As the classic adage goes, imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and we’ve seen numerous filmmakers build their careers by mimicking the style of their artistic heroes, some of which have gone on to be highly influential in their own right, and for good reason. One such example is Olivier Assayas, who is objectively an exceptional director, but someone whose career started through taking the works of the filmmakers that inspired him and mirroring their style, albeit in creative and artistically-resonant ways. A sample of this comes in the form of one of his more intriguing works, Late August, Early September (French: Fin août, début septembre), which focuses on a small group of friends and lovers in Paris, following their interactions over the course of roughly a year, which proves to be a time in which each one of them learns many of life’s more challenging lessons, whether it be the difficulties that come with maintaining a relationship, or the very serious fact that we all have to face our mortality at one point or another, and that we cannot always hide from this immense inevitability, both our own and of those who surround us. A fascinating and detailed work that sees Assayas standing in the shadow of filmmakers like Éric Rohmer, whose dialogue-heavy but profoundly beautiful stories about the relationships between young people at different stages of their development were a clear inspiration for this film, which is clearly made with this esteemed director in mind, although with Assayas’ own immensely compelling qualities still being present throughout. A poignant examination of the follies of youth and the importance of cherishing every moment, Late August, Early September is an early peak in Assayas’ impressive career, and one of his more profoundly moving examinations of the human condition, a theme that has informed the majority of his work over the years.

Late August, Early September is a very special film, but one that does take its time to fully unpack certain ideas, which is why it is so important to acknowledge that this is not a traditional film in terms of offering the audience a very direct understanding of the plot. The structure is quite unique – essentially, the first few scenes are all mainly disconnected vignettes in which we are introduced to the principal characters, with the ones that follow establishing their connections, whether direct or by mere proxy, leading up to the central conflict, from which we see all the various lives intersecting in creative and unconventional ways. This may go slightly against the primary tenets of the narrative structure we have come to expect, but it does reflect reality in a way that many similarly-themed dramas tend to ignore, which is showing that life, as much as we would like to believe ourselves to be central to its function, is nothing more than a myriad of individual stories existing at the exact same moment, each one of us leading a small but interesting existence, which is where Assayas builds the overall foundation of this narrative. This style allows us to peer deep into the lives of these characters, and the director’s refusal to surrender to traditions in the sense that he doesn’t ever allow the film to become too melodramatic (keeping all the emotions perfectly calibrated and in order), but instead representative of reality in a way that is vibrant and meaningful. It is one of the director’s more intimate films (especially occurring roughly between Irma Vep and Demonlover, two much more ambitious films in terms of genre), but still contains his distinct and unforgettable approach to examining the human condition, which he puts on display with honesty and nuance throughout the story, which contains many very touching and thought-provoking moments.

Assayas’ intentions when making Late August, Early September were seemingly two-fold, with the first aim being to offer a simple, evocative depiction of a group of friends as they navigate the challenges life tends to throw at many of us at inopportune moments. The other is to investigate a few deeper themes that relate directly to these ideas, especially those that help us understand these characters and their psychological processes. We essentially are seeing a film centred primarily on the theme of growth in different ways – every one of these individuals, whether the ones that drive the narrative or just appear in supporting parts, is undergoing some kind of development, which is reflected in the title of the film, which suggests we are witnessing lives constantly in motion, shifting between time and never remaining stagnant. The film focuses on characters of different ages, ranging from adolescence to the other side of middle age, but shows that regardless of the age someone is, they are constantly growing, and that even those well into their adulthood can still undergo the process of growing up and maturing. Characters also grow together or apart, their relationships being in the same perpetual motion as their lives and careers. We all know the feeling of losing friends, as well as the sensation of rekindling old relationships that perhaps were challenged by immaturity or the inability to function properly at the start. Finally, the most important kind of growth that we find in Late August, Early September is that of growing to realize that life is not always fair or predictable – many of us struggle to understand precisely what it is that keeps us going, but there are certain inevitabilities – both positive and negative – that tend to be deeply challenging to our entire existence, forcing us to see the world in a radically different way. This all comes together to form the final thesis statement that drives the film – growth is often difficult, but it is essential, and the moment one decides to stop growing is when life truly loses all meaning, which is not the intention of any of the characters nestled at the heart of this story.

As it stands, Late August, Early September has many deeply complex issues embedded right at its core, but it is only possible to find each one of these manifesting with the assistance of a strong cast, who make invaluable contributions to the film as a whole. Assayas employs an ensemble cast, many of which are now well-regarded cornerstones of the French film industry, but were mainly at the time young, relatively unknown actors that were willing to undergo this harrowing but beautiful process of bringing this story to life. Mathieu Amalric is the de facto lead, purely because he has the most time on screen, and serves to be the connective tissue for all the characters, the figure whose perspective serves to be our entry point into the film. Having made a career playing fascinating eccentrics, it is always refreshing to see an actor like Amalric doing something slightly different, and while the part of Gabriel is well within his wheelhouse, he brings an empathy to the role that is always wonderful to witness, since few can command the screen as well as he can, with this film proving his immense gifts. He is also an actor that has chemistry with every one of his fellow actors, and the film does well to cast similarly charismatic actors across from Amalric, in order to emphasize the primary character-based themes that drive the film. François Cluzet, Jeanne Balibar and Virginia Ledoyen are all fantastic, with the former being the only one of the cast who was beyond an established name by this point, but still was willing to challenge himself as an actor, playing a very complex character that may exit the film earlier than others, but whose spectre lingers heavily over the narrative, essentially driving the entire third act, which is also the part of the film where everyone is generally doing some of their very best and most memorable work, contributing the fabric of this film with grace and elegance, as well as a lot of deep and earnest admiration for many of its most profound ideas.

Life is filled with an equal balance of triumphs and tragedies, and Assayas represents this so beautifully throughout this film, which is an engaging and thought-provoking examination of everyday life. Assayas is one of our most versatile and compelling directors, and his ability to weave together such intricate, meaningful stories that represent so much complexity and honest emotions is one of his greatest traits as a storyteller. There isn’t a lot of ambiguity in this film, so we are never at a loss for what a certain aspect of the story means – but there is still a lot of complexity in how the director executes the narrative, leaping between perspectives with elegance and wit, and never allowing the themes to be too vague, but also leaving enough room for active thought, which is something that a film like this usually needs to strive to do in order to be effective. Charming and deeply heartbreaking, Late August, Early September is a poignant examination of youth, both the follies of it and its eventual departure. Filled with stunning performances by a deeply gifted cast that are doing exceptional work, and driven by a sense of curiosity and earnestness, the film is provocative in certain ways, while being deeply moving in others, the oscillation between emotions being well-curated by a director who understands the merits and shortcomings in telling such layered stories. It can sometimes be quite harrowing, but its honesty is not without reason, and we often find ourselves relishing in the time we spend with these characters, who are quite fascinating and always memorable, even at their most bewildering, all of which form the basis for this powerful and reflective drama about growth and the challenges that usually accompany it in the process.