Eric Rohmer's final installment in his "4 Seasons" series is something like a souffle'--light, airy and very palatable, yet composed of substantial ingredients. One comes away from this film feeling uplifted and fully satisfied. Again, Rohmer presents his viewers with what could very well be a real-life situation; in this case, a couple of rounds at matchmaking among two generations of friends in the French countryside. The director reunites Beatrice Romand and Marie Riviere from "The Green Ray" (aka "Summer") as two best friends who have a go-round with a prospective suitor that they meet through an ad in the local classifieds. Although the women are now showing some tarnish on the once golden gleam of their youth, they are still both vain enough to remain somewhat coy and competitive when it comes to the arena of romance. For long-term Rohmer fans, it is a delight to see Romand and Riviere cast together again and--as the suitor--Alain Libolt provides a perfect counterweight to their pairing. Quibbles? Alexia Portal, as the young Rosine, gives a performance that is far too smug. Additionally--from a technical standpoint--the outdoor lighting sometimes gives the cameraman some difficulty, resulting in some scenes which are overly washed-out. But, all in all, "Autumn Tale" is quite a fun bit of a romp with Rohmer's cast.
Review of Autumn Tale
