the audience applauded

When a movie has you begging for it to end not even half way through it's pure crap. We've all seen this movie and this characters millions of times, nothing new in it. Don't waste your time.

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

I loved all the symbolism. Mind you - you didn't need it - nothing came out of left field at all in this movie. In fact, you were shown the denouement right at the outset - no happy endings for this movie then...Even Mommy-dearest's 'earth-shattering' disclosure to Simon, came as no great shakes, because it had been presaged by the scene with Marie snooping through Louise's Filofax and exhibiting over-the-top shock at her surname.It was obvious at the outset that Simon was gay. (!!! - he's FRENCH - how many more clues do you need??? - little joke, there). Then when you meet the 'Adam's Family' back home, it's clear he's not one of them (the Adam's Family, that is!) Then we find out that Simon has the hots for Mathieu who turns out to be a young version of Marc - his mother's toy-boy*.So - S&M are going to get it together, oui? Non - parce que LOUISE and Mathieu effectively get married at the Family's Christmas do. Louise is in her wedding dress. The 'Young married couple to be' (NOT specifically S&L) are toasted, and M&L have their post-wedding dance together, with a salutary 'guard of honour' supplied by the local 'matelots'.So that's both S&M AND S&L killed with one stone.... and talking of birds, the seagulls telegraphed the state of S&M's relationship at the outset.At the Lighthouse (a monster boner, BTW - signifying what a stud-muffin M is!) Mathieu's seagull was dead, never to be seen and 'yuk' (rotten) and outside on the balcony.Simon's seagull was also dead, but preserved in S's bedroom, wings outstretched, head turned as if in grief, in the exact same pose as the b&w photo of a Michaelangelo bust, in S's photo portfolio.So S was preserving his feelings for M, whereas M's feelings for S were dead, defenestrated and left to rot.... and it took LOUISE to literally tell us this fact. Appreciative applause - a master stroke!) The wheeling seagulls permeated the seaside environs, symbolising the very whirlwind, which is life and love, of course...* So apart from being French, why else is Simon gay? Very possibly because he didn't have a father. He had a cold relationship with his mother's husband, and so spent his life 'looking for Dad' which is how SOME interpret homosexuality.No surprise then, that Mathieu is the spit of Marc - his real Dad. No surprise either that the erotic bed scene of S on M's bed, is echoed at the end, with S on his Dad's bed - the other M.Incidentally, we know well in advance that Marc is Simon's Dad, because Marie spells it out in discussion with Louise about her real relationship with S. 'Like sister and brother?' All good stuff. You know what the outcome's going to be way in advance, but unlike Star Wars, it's a very entertaining and enjoyable ride getting there all the same.

Young writer-director Rodolphe Marconi introduces us to 18 year-old Simon (the extremely handsome and talented Gaspard Ulliel, "A Very Long Engagement"), who brings a girl he just met on a train, Louise (Mélanie Laurent), along with him to visit his parents and sister for a holiday in the country. As the mysterious Mathieu (Thibault Vinçon), Simon's unrequited love, reappears, Louise and Mathieu develop a liaison of their own, and we contemplate Simon's morbid sadness as dark secrets are uncovered."The Last Day" is a very personal, slow-paced, sensual and tragic story. It's very French in its aesthetics (which I love) and mood, and Marconi owes great part of his film's power to the amazing talent of Ulliel, who says more with a single look than most of today's young actors with a thousand words. In spite of his first bad move in Hollywood with "Hannibal Rising", I believe Ulliel is destined to become an international star (and if he doesn't, that's also fine, as long as he keeps picking daring roles in great films in his homeland). The soundtrack is also eclectic and memorable, and Marconi even reserves "the improvised, sudden musical scene" that's a trademark of some contemporary French directors, like François Ozon and Christophe Honoré. It could seem out of place and even ridiculous, but works beautifully here. Not a film for everybody, and ultimately depressing; but a memorable, poignant experience nonetheless. 9/10.

In many respects, I could tell that this movies convey a rather deep meaning and not just ordinary teenage-gay-boy romance story which mostly end up in either bad or happy ending. This movie is alike to many of other French movies that I saw before which contains little or minimal dialogue. It conveys the message through showing "symbolic scenes".However what troubles me the most is not such 'absence of dialogue' but rather the clarity and sense of direction in the film. The love that grow between Simon and Matthew is only evident somehow in the middle of the film but for the rest - it is clearly unclear of what Simon thinks or at least other characters should have played greater role to clarify the role of the main character. As a result of this unclarity - all scenes appear to be just randomly and awkwardly put in.The movie is incredibly slow. There is no significant or notable progression that the audience should be rewarded after watching the film for around 2 hours.Aside from the talented and good looking actor Gaspard Ulliel (who played Simon), there is no other aspects of either in the story or plot that makes me eager to recommend this film to the general audiences.5 out of 10

A wonderfully atmospheric French film, THE LAST DAY details a Christmas holiday with the family of an art student, and the beautiful young woman he encounters on a train, during which lives unravel terribly. Writer/director Rudolphe Marconi is adept at slowly piecing together the story without undue dialog or exposition. His cinematographer, editor and production designer have all contributed to his vision of a beach-side home and environs with a cold, blue palette that will have you wrapping your sweater more tightly. Gaspard Ulliel ("Strayed," "A Very Long Engagement") is compelling as the lead, and the film offers the wonderful Nicole Garcia ("Alias Betty") another strong role in which to shine. A family mystery of sorts, some of the clues may be dropped too soon (we figured things out well in advance), yet due to the fine acting, atmosphere and characterization, the film still pulled us along and left us jolted, moved and chastened. Secrets this important should never be withheld from those you claim to love.