The Summer Book follows an intergenerational family spending a transformative summer at their rustic vacation home on an unspoiled, remote island in the Gulf of Finland. Adapted from Tove Jansson’s beloved novel, the film explores grief, nature, and the delicate bonds between a young girl, her wise grandmother (Glenn Close), and her grieving father (Anders Danielsen Lie).
The Garden Cinema View:
This suitably languorous adaptation of Tove Jansson’sclassic novel is an invitation to immerse yourself on a tiny island in the Gulf of Finland. Director Charlie McDowell adheres to the episodic structure of the book, allowing the loose plot to spool out in a series of charming vignettes. The film is more explicitly weighted with a grief that Jansson only hints at, and Hania Rani’s score, whilst sensitive and calming, feels emotionally leading at times. And perhaps unnecessary, as the sounds of the island – the tide, the breeze, the birds, and the occasional boat – combine with Sturla Brandth Grøvlen’s textured 16mm cinematography to transportive effect.
Admittedly, the choice to film in English is a little distancing. Glenn Close is nonetheless reliably superb as Grandma, and the experience is somewhat akin to watching a Ghibli (Jansson was an undeniable influence on Hayao Miyazaki) film dubbed.
A film in a minor key, but a nourishing watch.
