This six-episode French TV miniseries would be easy to write off as a chick flick. That would be wrong. The premise is that a guy (Pierre Deladonchamps) in the present who loves the music and culture of bygone eras sees a picture of a lonely, lovely woman (Olga Kurylenko) on a beach, staring out to sea. He falls so in love with his ideal of who she must be, and what is making her appear so forlorn, that he is inadvertently transported back to the 1960s, where he meets her and the circle of her wealthy pals. Don't worry about how it happens. It just does. Go with it.
The woman is as mysteriously alluring in the flesh as in the picture, deepening his desires. Unfortunately, she's very involved with the rich dude who's hosting the summer of play for his cohorts. Pierre's character, who is something of a loser in our time, ingratiates himself with that privileged coterie, hoping to win maiden fair. But her current beau - a spoiled brat that can be quite cruel, or worse - is hell-bent on marrying her, creating strong elements of suspense and danger to the proceedings. That should keep most viewers of any gender going, even if romantic dramas aren't their usual choice.
Time-travel stories always have logical flaws, but that premise seems less intrusive than usual in this tale. The story runs for six episodes, which probably could have been edited to four or five for the less-patient, plot-driven viewers. Instead, we get long stretches without dialog to accentuate the moods of the principals and the gorgeous sets and settings of the privileged classes who can luxuriate in exotic climes like Biarritz. Kurylenko flawlessly portrays the mystique and magnetism of her character, elevating the series over what it might have had to settle for with a lesser actress. Who wouldn't travel in time, or go to other extremes, to unlock the key to what makes her so elusive?
The series is a worthy binge if you're not in a hurry. For a leisurely, lyrical romance, spiced up with looming scenarios of tragic consequences for our protagonists, this offers a reasonable way to share six hours with someone you love.
