In Let the Sunshine In, French filmmaker Claire Denis puts the ageless Juliette Binoche though a series of banal, pointless conversations about relationships that leave a cumulative lethargic toll. While the typically reliable lead shows flashes of her usual brilliance as romantically frustrated Parisian artist Isabelle, her interactions with a series of male suitors unintentionally feel like a montage of intentionally bad acting class scenes from the recent HBO comedy Barry.

Denis’ camerawork is confident throughout and offers the occasional visual treat, and while her dialogue co-written with novelist Christine Angot is consistently forced and obvious, it’s full of truthful observations. Still, even the way the end credits unexpectedly intrude on Isabelle's session with a clairvoyant played by Gérard Depardieu is annoying, as it both heralds yet frustratingly prolongs the end of a film that can’t come soon enough. 

Grade: D. Not rated but with nudity, adult language and content. Starts May 25 at Grail Moviehouse.

(Photo: IFC Films)