Olivier Assayas' After May reveals what it was like to be young, French and radical

After May is a snapshot of a time when Paris couldn't handle its youth

A scene from After May starring Clément Métayer, Lola Créton, Felix Armand and Carole Combes

After May

Director: Olivier Assayas (Carlos the Jackal)

Starring:Clément Métayer, Lola Créton, Felix Armand, Carole Combes

Rated: M

Review: 3 stars

A hazy, heartfelt snapshot of what it was like to be young, French and torn between radical politics and refined art in the early 1970s.

Not really the traditional coming-of-age affair some might be wanting, After May (released elsewhere as Something In the Air) is more concerned with atmosphere than story.

As a time tunnel back to an electric era, everything works rather well. Writer-director Olivier Assayas (Carlos the Jackal) was the same age as his teenage protagonists when this meandering tale took place, and he's clearly recapturing his most vivid memories of a time most were too stoned to remember.

Just a shame the collection of characters accompanying us on this journey are not easy the easiest bunchto relate to. This is probably due to a conscious choice by Assayas to call primarily upon amateurs to play the key roles. Though many of these fresh-faced, bleary-eyed youths look the part, they do have problems acting the part whenever the story tries to make a direct dramatic impact.

Surprisingly, such an obvious flaw turns out to be more than forgivable thanks to the superb array of music choices (heavy on British psychedelic folk of the era) Assayas has crammed on the soundtrack, and the seductive cinematography of Eric Gautier.