Renoir review

You get two Renoirs for the price of one in Gilles Bourdos’ painterly period piece, which finds ailing artist Pierre-Auguste (Michel Bouquet) and his future filmmaker of a son Jean (Vincent Rottiers) deriving inspiration from the same feisty, flame-haired muse (Christa Theret).

Set in 1915 on Papa Renoir’s balmy Riviera estate, far removed from the ravages of war, it’s a film of lazy days, sleepless nights and mellow moments that will likely test the patience of those unwilling to resign to its unhurried pace.

Veteran French actor Bouquet brings a lifetime of experience to his arthritic old master, though, while the frequently unclad Theret captivates and exasperates in equal measure.