Rent Summer Lover (2008)

Pedestrian Period Drama - Summer Lover review by Sandy

This is a period drama on a budget. Set in the 1920's - American newly weds arrive on a Greek Island and indulge in lovemaking and swimming off the sea. They come across a wreck from which the wife retrieves an object. As the story progresses she starts to push against the boundaries of the age and starts experimenting with her dressing style and starts exploring her sexuality more - developing more extreme personality and appetites (for the time) as the story develops. Is it some forms of magical realism from the Island, or madness? You'll have to watch the film and judge for yourself. The film doesn't fully explain itself - whilst I don't need a film to explain everything - the end of the film is rather sudden and doesn't really give you much to go on.

If I could rate this film with minus stars I would - Summer Lover review by Wintertrees

American wife is seduced by Russian woman on Greek island, cuts off her hair, wears men’s clothes, and makes love with husband ‘as a boy’ before falling in love with Russian woman. Russian woman then declares that making love with women is just something you do ‘when there are no men around’ because ‘with a man it is the real thing’ and proceeds to have sex with the husband. American wife then throws herself off a cliff in the best lesbian tradition leaving the way clear for bereaved husband and Russian woman to sail off into the sunset (literally) holding hands over her coffin (literally).

As if that wasn’t bad enough the filmmakers had the audacity to claim that this despicable film was inspired by Sappho.

The Greek islands were beautiful, though.