Summer Hours (2008)

The matriarch of a French family (the luminous Edith Scob, of "Eyes Without a Face" fame) dies and leaves her three grown children to sort out her estate in this fantastic movie from director Olivier Assayas. One wishes to keep the house, along with the beloved longtime housekeeper and the priceless collection of art and furniture. The other two, with busy lives that keep them on the road, have no use for the house and it's contents. He's outvoted and they opt to sell everything. Collectors, lawyers, and tax officials start picking through the home and personal effects. If this sounds like overripe drama, it's not. There is not one moment in this film that feels showy or untrue. From beginning to end, this film is moving without being corny, intelligent without being talky, and never pretentious. One beautifully executed scene follows another. It's about secrets, the past receding away, the fragmentation of families, and finding peace. Easily the best movie I've seen this year.