Spring Blossom Review

6.3

TOLERABLE

Director: Suzanne Lindon
Starring: Suzanne Lindon, Arnaud Valois, Florence Viala, Frédéric Pierrot

Suzanne Lindon, daughter of French actors Vincent Lindon and Sandrine Kiberlain, is no doubt hoping to make a name for herself with her directorial debut, Spring Blossom.

However, this isn’t just Lindon’s directorial debut but it’s also her first time writing and acting as well.

Lindon has certainly given herself a lot to do but can she manage to make Spring Blossom reach its full cinematic bloom?

Lights Camera Dancing

Lindon plays a 16-year-old school student, Suzanne who has become fed up with her place in the world, feeling disconnected from life itself and being uninspired by those around her and the activities they take part in.

This is until she meets Raphaël, played by Arnaud Valois, an older actor who is performing at a local theatre that Suzanne passes on her way to and from school each day.

After observing each other from a distance for a short while the pair finally connects and from this moment they begin to see each other on a regular basis.

Lindon’s screenplay tackles those universal themes of love, longing and wanting to belong and the end result is an assured debut from the young talent.

One of the most interesting elements of her film is how she incorporates dance and movement into numerous scenes, using it to tell the story and channel a lot of feelings and emotions.

She uses this in a range of ways, some more straightforward and stereotypical of this genre and on other occasions in a more complex and surreal fashion, each being as compelling as the last.

This helps make her debut feel more original and presents audiences with an added dimension to engage with.

Short and Sweet

Credit: Avenue B Productions

Spring Blossom has a quite short running time of just over 70 minutes which will definitely appeal to some audiences however it does feel like it cuts itself slightly short.

While Lindon’s debut is a confident one, much the opposite to the character of Suzanne, this briefness in its running time may prevent Spring Blossom from fully fleshing out its ideas and themes.

However knowing not to overstay your welcome is a talent in itself and better this than dragging on for longer than needed, so perhaps erring on the side of caution is no bad thing.

Referring back to Lindon’s performance it should be noted that she does very well here, conveying Suzanne’s initial disconnect and then her subsequent refreshed vigour for life after she begins her relationship with Raphaël rather impressively.

From Paris With Love

Credit: Avenue B Productions

It’s undeniable that Spring Blossom showcases Lindon’s potential excellently, demonstrating her ability in all of the areas she applies herself to.

It’s a pleasant story that’s as enjoyable as the Parisian café culture that the film’s love interests so often partake in.

However, like any trip to a city like Paris, it’s not these small everyday experiences that will necessarily last longest in the memory.

This is maybe reserved for the famous large landmarks or special events attended and unfortunately Spring Blossom never really feels like anything particularly remarkable or overly memorable like these.

Nonetheless, this is a well-crafted film that will suffice for those wanting a quick cinematic getaway and a fleeting holiday romance.

It’s agreeable and at times intriguing but fails to make much of an impression, serving mainly as a showcase of Lindon’s potential in her triple threat of talents.

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