Grand Illusion

As The Southerner moves along, there are times when something poignantly endearing develops, concerning the virtue of the characters, their resolution, and the film’s own veneration for the subject matter.

Sometimes, it is more fascinating to watch the struggle a film has in trying to balance dual aims than it is to watch the movie itself. Case in point: Renoir, a feature showcase at this year’s Phoenix Film Festival. In essence, Renoir tells us of how an alluring young woman came into the lives of the impressionist painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir and his son Jean, and how she changed all of their lives.