Le Miracle du Saint Inconnu

What can I say. Absurdity piled on top of farce. Shades of The Life of Brian, and The Field, slap stick from D'Unbeliveables, bizarre. Loved it.

One character was as eccentric as the next. The old women wasting the doctors time, the doctor, the doctors assistant micro dosing to stop himself going mad through boredom, the men who only attended the doctors clinic after he inserted false teeth for the dog, all great. The bald men who were regulars in the barbers, reminds me of an uncle's barber shop here in town in my childhood.

For all the absurdity and farce it was beautifully shot with some really good scenes particularly indoors.

Having watched some Iranian cinema a while back and now Moroccan "The West" could learn a thing or two from these directors. This is a little gem that had me reflecting on and smiling about it for a day or so after watching.

What could have been a comedy cum thriller is actually reduced to a slow, painful, mini comic storey. It has so many common sense holes in storey that after each mini episode within it one wonders how this was allowed to happen or how it can happen? But the seens with barber shop and ladies coming to doctor with flimsy ailments is more entertaining. But main part of shrine and recovering loot and unexpected ending are very boring. What could have been a great comic thriller is a painful, slow process.

With a premise as interesting as this, it could have been a better movie. Its tad difficult to believe many elements in the movie and it doesn't feel realistic. The springing of an entire village where there's no water and much "business". People getting gold teeth made in such a place! Homes with gold embroidered cushions and water (in such a desert). The characters do not evoke empathy or much humour though there is certainly scope. Good in parts but doesn't come together as a harmonious film. Watched it at a Film fest and din't live up to the hype it created.

This film is not fitting at all into most of today's movie styles. The story is quite simple and this simplicity renders the film into a powerful piece of art. The story is told in a dry manner - dry like the desert people try to survive. There is nothing to live on, except their faith. Three main characters present how faith can empower people: faith in material resurrection (thief getting "his" hidden money), faith in keeping the traditions (the guard) and faith in getting back to old state of the world (father hoping for rain in the desert). There are many elements in the film that makes it very much worth watching, indeed not just once. There are no spectacular elements in the whole movie, just the accurate but still compassionate depiction of what motivates three people in a hopeless village in the desert. The creator humbly presents the reality most human beings have to face, far away from the busy centres of economic and cultural life. Watch it and make the effort to internalise the message.

There were certainly moments of boredom whilst watching this, but gradually the characters began to take on a life of their own, the subtle humour began to shine.

Writing this, a day after watching it, I am thinking fondly of so many of them - the mausoleum guard and his touching dedication to his dog; the barber and his different shaving creams for different customers; the nurse and doctor quietly sipping home-brewed alcohol to get them through the day; the two thieves exchanging glances that wouldn't be amiss in a Laurel and Hardy skit.

By the end, despite the slow-pace and lack of action I wanted to carry on watching these people.

There are some wonderful moments of deadpan humour and there is an underlying spirituality to the whole piece without it being at all pretentious or pandering.

Like the characters waiting for rain after a ten-year drought - your patience will be rewarded if you give this movie a chance to envelop you.