Guard: "I will never encourage my son to become a poet, sir."By Jean-Pierre Jeunet
With Dany Boon, André Dussollier, Nicolas Marié
Micmacs is a film I heard about when I was on a spree for revenge films (after seeing the ingenious Kill Bill series). I believe I found this in some list or the other, but only decided to see it today as I felt the french dialogue would help me with my studies of the language. Also, I'd seen and enjoyed the much renowned Amélie and since both films are directed by Jeunet I was looking forward to seeing it.
In the film, a middle-aged man, Bazil, who works as a clerk in a local video store is one day shot in the head unawares. His father, too, had been a casualty in a war. After an indefinite stay in the hospital as he recovers, he finds he has been fired from his job and kicked out of his apartment. However, the woman who replaces him at his previous job stops him outside the store and gives him a bullet shell, presumably from the shot that caused his injury. Wandering the streets for weeks, he is finally approached by a twice convicted, now reformed, man who introduces him to a motley crew living in a junk yard and repairing discarded things. They welcome Bazil to their fold and help him in his elaborate scheme to get back at the arms company that manufactured the bullet and provided weapons for the war that took his father's life.
This was a film that reminded me of Charlie Chaplin films in many ways. The body humor, the inherent kindness of the protagonist coupled with a strong sense of pride (as he cannot even bring himself to accept a warm meal from the soup kitchen while he's homeless and instead pretends he is standing near the food because he is waiting for the taxi) the complicated schemes and strategies to achieve a task, the domino effect of one action and its consequences, and a sort of obliviousness to the concept of gravity--everything is up for laughs. There was also a very strong political message underlining it, perhaps a critique of capitalism and monopolies in industries, as well as the destruction wreaked upon the working class by the elite.
The characters are quirky and likable but a major flaw I think was in the refusal of the director to allow them, caricatures as they are, to be well rounded caricatures. Somehow all the chemistry between the actors seemed manufactured, almost puppeteered, as you could imagine the people in a dream of a very little child are. Some moments had me cringing at its sheer over-the-top ludicrousness, as you can tell the film is trying to make you laugh but it just seems as flat as a joke that has to be explained in order to be understood.
Much of the action seemed nonsensical, as well. We as a viewer knew why they were doing what they were doing, but we couldn't fathom the legitimacy of including that scene. Or perhaps it was all just a performance, like acrobatics? There was little dialogue, nothing too meaningful but that is to be expected. I believe this was more a satire/slapstick comedy than anything else which is absolutely fine if that's what you are interested in seeing.
If I had to sum my experience up in one sentence, I'd say it's an enjoyable family-fun film (despite the rather steamy sex scene we spy) and does a good job of keeping a viewer entertained. Not very psychologically gripping or complex, and not emotionally moving either, but definitely a fun view.
I liked: The circumstances, the colors, the snappy action.
I disliked: The feeling of being manipulated as a viewer, perhaps too sarcastic/satire for my tastes.
63/100
Watch if you enjoy Jeunet's work, and are looking for some frothy fun. It won't disappoint!
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