Late August, Early September

From the Ozu-like title, referring to a timespan of a little over a year, one might divine that writer/director Assayas is interested in mood, character and maturity. In the wake of their break-up, Gabriel and Jenny (Amalric and Balibar) attempt to sell their flat; Gabriel moves on to the sexy Anne (Ledoyen), while Jenny seems to want him back. Their mutual friendship with the writer Adrien (Cluzet) affords contrasting perspectives on their progress, especially when Adrien falls ill, forcing his younger companions to deal with their dependency on him. Assayas has a recognisable vision of a world - late twenty-somethings running around, stumbling into careers they're unsure of, falling into relationships they're not committed to - but he lets the story happen offscreen. Chapter headings and fade-outs bookend brief, elliptical snatches of apparently mundane activities, posting oblique updates on matters of life and death. It's a bit like a Woody Allen film without the kvetching or the wisecracks, but younger and more vital.