Colours of Time: Cédric Klapisch’s soft touch is at work in this pleasurable, light drama, where a group of very distinct people discovers they are all descendants of the same woman and tries to figure out who she was and who each other is. The wish for more time with this group of characters, past and present, is a good sign; it’s a fluffy, unpretentious, and entertaining experience. The performances are appropriate and effective, no more and no less.
Suzanne Lindon plays the ancestor at a young age; Julia Piaton, a bit of a workaholic; Abraham Wapler plays one of the descendants, the one who gets most of the focus: a young and sensitive man; Vincent Macaigne, a slightly awkward but pure-hearted man; and Zinedine Soualem, as an almost-retired teacher. Cinematographer Alexis Kavyrchine, production designer Marie Cheminal, and costume designer Pierre-Yves Gayraud create a visually pleasant film, with slightly different visual identities for the present-day and past parts of the story; the film makes great use of many charming locations, both in Paris and in Normandy. Editor Anne-Sophie Bion navigates nicely from one to the other. Singer Pomme (who also has a role in the film) contributes with a beautiful song, “La Nuit”; composer Rob’s musical score is also rather nice.