Sophie Colon in Endless Summer Syndrome (Altered Innocence)

Delphine (Sophie Colon), a high-powered lawyer, seems to have the perfect family. Her husband, Antoine (Mathéo Capelli), is a successful novelist (although critics often think less of his work), and she has two lovely adopted children: 17-year-old Adia (Frédérika Milano) and 18-year-old Asian (Gem Deger), who is preparing to leave for New York to study entomology. On a perfect summer’s day, the weekend before Asian is scheduled to leave, Delphine receives an anonymous phone call from a woman who claims that a very drunk Antoine insinuated that “something was happening” between him and one of his children. This, of course, puts Delphine on high alert. From this point on, the film invites us to share and simultaneously question her growing concerns as the family goes through their day, swimming and barbecuing. Antoine rubbing ointment on a burn on Adia’s leg sends Delphine into a tizzy. An extra squeeze of Asian’s arm raises her suspicions even further. With a nose for sussing out lies, Delphine begins subtly interrogating her family.

The first 45 minutes of Endless Summer Syndrome are a masterclass in escalating dread. You know the hammer is going to drop, but you don’t know when or how. A framing device adds to the tension, in which the kids are interviewed by the police about an undisclosed, clearly tragic event. It’s also worth mentioning that Asian keeps exotic snails (this is France, after all), one of which happens to be highly toxic.

Director Kaveh Daneshmand employs an elegant, minimalist approach, allowing the twists and turns of the clever script to unfold cleanly and without unnecessary distractions. Just when you think you’ve figured out what’s going on, the narrative shifts. Most of the action is seen through the eyes of the composed and sophisticated Delphine. The phone call, however, shakes her to her core. Rather than confront Antoine directly, she begins her investigation—questioning her daughter about her sex life, getting her husband drunk and seducing information out of him. Ultimately, the film is less a morality tale and more a character study of Delphine: a self-assured woman who takes pride in her seemingly perfect family, and what happens when cracks appear in that illusion.

The performances are exceptional across the board, but Sophie Colon, in her first major film role, carries the film. She brings great subtlety to the role, portraying a woman who keeps her emotions tightly controlled, even as she watches her idyllic life crumble.

A tense thriller, Endless Summer Syndrome explores the hidden truths beneath the surface of a seemingly placid, affluent family. Instead of relying on a heavy-handed atmosphere, it earns its impact with elegance, panache, richly drawn characters, and a devilish ending that chills to the bone.