Alegría

Well, although it is a high grade for a not-very-known-movie; this is a great performance by the Cirque Du Soleil (The biggest and greatest cirque now existing) by mixing "Romeo and Juliette" and the currently-touring-show "Alegria". This is one of the 2 movies that the Cirque has made, and even though it doe not has a lot of budget they make a enjoyable movie. There's a great performance by Julie Cox, who before this was a little unknown, and she might not have a lot of fame but after this it gave her a good point in her "Resumeé". And this other unknown-movie actor Rene Bazinet, who had formerly played in another Cirque show, "Saltimbanco", who gives a funny and charming performance. It isn't a Must-see movie but a pleasant-to-see.

If there is a single problem with "Alegria," the first feature film from the hugely successful (and rightfully so) Cirque du Soleil enterprise, it's that a concrete narrative structure doesn't seem to fit in the avant-guarde troop's world. A large part of the charm of the stage productions is the abstraction--the audience can fill in the blanks with whatever story pleases them, or simply sit back and enjoy the show. And while on one hand the story of "Alegria" is a charming one--a boy-meets-girl fable entwined with the plight of a group of children forced to labor under a cruel taskmaster--its presense detracts from the surreal nature of the Cirque experience.

That's not to say there isn't plenty to enjoy here, for there is. There are several fine performances here, with standouts coming from Frank Langella as the ringmaster and concerned father of the girl and Heathcote Williams as the despicable villian. Brian Dewhurst, a vetran of multiple Cirque productions and one of their most versatile talents, has a nice bit part as a depressed bartender. Benoit Jutras (another regular on the Cirque payroll) has created a beautiful and dramatically correct score for the film. The film posesses moments of beautiful, sad, and disturbing imagry, and when we do see the Cirque cast in action, it's a joy as always.

"Alegria" may not be an entirely successful foray into new territory, but when so many filmmakers rely on what's "reliable" and "safe," you certainly can't blame them for trying.

Alegria is one of my favorite movies. If you go into this film looking for a documentary of the Cirque de Soliel's stage show, you will be dissapointed. If you go in looking for a deep allegory, you will leave unfulfilled.

But that is not what this film is. It's a fable.

Just like in any good fable there are layers after layers of meaning. The fact that Frac and the performers never remove their stage costume. The kids selling and growing flowers in the dark. The vivid colors. Just about any frame of this film could be printed and framed as a work of art.

This film is classy and you feel good for watching it.

What an absolute gem. This is so unlike anything that I have seen before and I was sure that it was just not going to be my thing. WOW was I ever wrong. The thrill of the Cirque du Soliel with their extremely talented acrobats and clowns are joy enough, but then you have Frank Langella hamming it up wonderfully as Fleur the ringmaster and Heathcote Williams as the dark Marcello. The best though has to be Rene Bazinet in the lead role of Frac. What a masterstroke of casting. This is a mime artist in a speaking role who steals the show. I had never heard of him until seeing this and cannot understand why he has never been picked up by other directors. Talk about missing a great opportunity. Let's hope that this man will pop up and thrill us all again.

Alegria is a joy and should have been made more prominent at the time of release. This just does not deserve to go un-noticed, it's way too special.

Before buying this movie, I read everything I could to see if it was worth it. This is not a filming of the stage version of Alegria, this is a movie that was originally built around it and then took a very different direction. If you are looking for "standard Cirque," this is not the place to find it. Cirque du Soleil often goes beyond fans' expectations, and this is one more case. The movie is well done, though not appropriate for very young children. It is a simple love story, but with dark undertones. Rene Bazinet is excellent in the part of Frac, which was written for him. Julie Cox is decent as Giulietta, though I found her a bit flat. And Clipper Miano IS Momo. The movie alone would be 3 out of 4 stars, but with the DVD extras I give it 3 3/4 out of 4. (I love behind-the-scenes stuff).

If you are looking for the spectacle normally associated with the Cirque, bypass this movie. If, however, you are open to the Cirque reinventing itself yet again, this time on film, give this movie a try. It's different, and therefore it isn't for everybody. But it worked for me.