It’s really kinda amazing to watch a movie that just rambles on and on. People complain about these types that have no sense of direction, but almost nowhere have I seen something so locked in its own man-made void with no path in sight.
To put it plainly, Quentin Dupieux is one of those French absurdist guys, with specifically a hit-and-miss knack for understanding what makes surreal, Adult Swim-style humor interesting in the first place. So just imagine that lost-in-translation communication brought ten fold upon your innocent head. Maybe fascinating for a psychopath like me to watch and whisper “How? How do you fuck up this badly?”
The actors honestly save this one, and I’d very much like to see Mark Burnham show up in some Alan Resnick shorts or whatnot. Random “oh wow!” people appear like Kurt Fuller, Marilyn Manson, and Ray Wise show up in roles they try to bring SOME color to. But then again, just as many memorable character actors like Don Stark, Ping Wu and Grace fucking Zabriskie (in one of the most thankless roles I’ve ever seen) are wasted and seem there simply to snidely register to the audience “Yeah we got these VERY niche people”. It’s basically the polar opposite of The Last Stop in Yuma County, a rogue’s gallery of smaller named people with nothing to give them, and loooong opening credits where they’ve each got their individual titles.
In all honesty, Dupieux seems a lot more comfortable when working on a French production. The pacing is always faster and less awkward, and the comedy is naturally weird instead of a strain to be something it’s not (Mandibles and Smoking Causes Coughing are the two I like). But I suppose one has to try and fail somewhere, anywhere. There was an attempt, but then again, no there wasn’t. Just the laziest, most streamlined form of “bizarre” comedy there is.
Oh and that overexposure literally gave me a headache at points. I was reminded one of my film professors told us he made a project that turned out completely overexposed, only for him to apparently turn that into a “style” with a few tweaks in the editing room. Maybe that can work for some good folks, but when I’m literally having trouble looking at a shot head-on thanks to blinding light, you can fuck right off.
I guess the Mr. Oizo music was a lil fun too.
It’s really kinda amazing to watch a movie that just rambles on and on. People complain about these types that have no sense of direction, but almost nowhere have I seen something so locked in its own man-made void with no path in sight.
To put it plainly, Quentin Dupieux is one of those French absurdist guys, with specifically a hit-and-miss knack for understanding what makes surreal, Adult Swim-style humor interesting in the first place. So just imagine that lost-in-translation communication brought ten fold upon your innocent head. Maybe fascinating for a psychopath like me to watch and whisper “How? How do you fuck up this badly?”
The actors honestly save this one, and I’d very much like to see Mark Burnham show up in some Alan Resnick shorts or whatnot. Random “oh wow!” people appear like Kurt Fuller, Marilyn Manson, and Ray Wise show up in roles they try to bring SOME color to. But then again, just as many memorable character actors like Don Stark, Ping Wu and Grace fucking Zabriskie (in one of the most thankless roles I’ve ever seen) are wasted and seem there simply to snidely register to the audience “Yeah we got these VERY niche people”. It’s basically the polar opposite of The Last Stop in Yuma County, a rogue’s gallery of smaller named people with nothing to give them, and loooong opening credits where they’ve each got their individual titles.
In all honesty, Dupieux seems a lot more comfortable when working on a French production. The pacing is always faster and less awkward, and the comedy is naturally weird instead of a strain to be something it’s not (Mandibles and Smoking Causes Coughing are the two I like). But I suppose one has to try and fail somewhere, anywhere. There was an attempt, but then again, no there wasn’t. Just the laziest, most streamlined form of “bizarre” comedy there is.
Oh and that overexposure literally gave me a headache at points. I was reminded one of my film professors told us he made a project that turned out completely overexposed, only for him to apparently turn that into a “style” with a few tweaks in the editing room. Maybe that can work for some good folks, but when I’m literally having trouble looking at a shot head-on thanks to blinding light, you can fuck right off.
I guess the Mr. Oizo music was a lil fun too.
