Fans of young women running in films, this one is for you. Like other roles bringing this sprinting trope to the fore, Anaïs in Love follows an impulsive spirit who darts between people and places without a second thought. When told she hangs out with interesting people, Anaïs pushes back and says she would rather be interesting herself.

After a brief stint with an older man, Anaïs becomes drawn in by his partner, Emilie, a literary and expressive woman whose writing compels Anaïs to seek her out (which means spontaneously subletting her apartment and missing deadlines for her thesis on 17th century depictions of passion).

They bond at a remote retreat, in a stately home surrounded by a lush green garden with apple trees, not far from the sea. Everything about the sun-kissed setting, filled with artists dancing in long flowing dresses at dusk, is delectable. Director Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet’s film is about the joys of taking part in life and all the pleasures that come from saying yes to every hurried decision – and the messes that follow.

While not quite as profoundly impactful as Greta Gerwig vehicles or the films of Éric Rohmer, Anaïs in Love shares their sincerity. Anaïs herself is propelled by heartfelt conversations and a desire to be understood, which she believes to have found in Emilie’s words. It’s a film about jumping into everything with both feet and being swept along for the ride, coming down on a certain side of stories about 30-year-old millennials still figuring life out. While some home in on malaise, Bourgeois-Tacquet instead centres on the excitement and potential of having so much to figure out still ahead.

A summery and youthful film, Anaïs in Love shares a spirit with some all-time-great stories, basking in the moment and celebrating where each one could lead to next.

RATING: 3/5 

INFORMATION

CAST: Anaïs Demoustier, Valeria Bruni Tedeschi, Denis Podalydès

DIRECTOR: Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet

WRITER: Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet

SYNOPSIS: Anaïs in Love follows Anaïs, a 30-year old woman that is broke and has a lover she doesn’t think she loves anymore. She meets Daniel, who immediately falls for her. But Daniel lives with Emilie – whom Anaïs also falls for.