Chasing Yesterday: A dusty, slightly awkward look at the past

Is this thing worth your time?

If you like movies that feel like they were filmed in a library, maybe. It’s definitely for people who enjoy slow, sentimental dramas where nothing much explodes, but if you need a fast pace or anything resembling modern tension, you’re probably gonna hate it. It’s got that specific kind of 1930s charm that’s either incredibly sweet or just plain sleepy.

The whole thing hinges on this archaeologist wandering into his past. It’s a bit messy, honestly. Etienne Girardot brings this weary, academic energy that works, but the transition into the romance with the daughter feels... complicated. Not in a 'deep' way, just in a 'wait, what?' way.

There’s this scene in the garden where the light is just right, and for a second, you forget the script is a bit wobbly. Then someone speaks, and the spell breaks. It’s that kind of movie.

Bits and pieces

• The pacing is basically a slow walk through a park.
• Anne Shirley carries way more of this film than the script probably deserved.
• The dialogue sounds like it was written by someone who hadn't spoken to a human in a week.
• There’s a moment with a gate latch that takes, like, ten seconds too long to resolve. I found myself staring at the wall.

It reminded me a bit of the quiet exhaustion found in The Lion and the Mouse, though they aren't exactly cut from the same cloth. There's a certain stillness here that isn't really common anymore.

Maybe it’s just me, but the way the characters look at each other is almost more interesting than the plot itself. It’s all in the eyes, even when the lines they’re reading are pure fluff. There is an odd, ghostly quality to the whole production. It’s like watching a home movie of people you don't actually know.

I can't say I loved it, but I didn't want to turn it off either. It just sort of... exists. It’s a gentle, slightly flawed piece of work that hits the spot if you’re in a specific, rainy-day mood. Just don’t expect a masterpiece. Sometimes a movie is just a movie, you know? 📽️