FLASHP01NT
Joined Feb 2016
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FLASHP01NT's rating
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FLASHP01NT's rating
Extremely French in every way; Four Adventures Of Reinette And Mirabelle feels like a movie Godard would have made - if he wasn't so obsessed with political agitprop.
Four Adventures is shot like a documentary; You could almost call it a mockumentary, except it's too honest and noble to be a comedy. Indeed, it's very long and very boring, but everything in it is still, somehow, interesting. It's the only boring movie I've ever watched that I wouldn't edit down.
My favorite scene, besides the blue hour, was the discussion about shoplifting: Where you would expect the characters to breakdown, start throwing things, and dissolve their friendship; Instead, they continue the discussion, thoroughly, as two adults looking to spotlight the truth of the matter. Two adults who are confident in their ability to see and understand the world, to articulate themselves and to express themselves in a way that, they know, makes sense. They don't interpret disagreements as personal attacks. They don't get emotional for the wrong reasons. Actually smart people aren't worried about "looking dumb" or "losing an argument". Actually smart people don't care.
Watching Four Adventures reminds me of the time when characters in movies had opinions and personalities. Do you remember those times? If not, you can always go back and watch enough things to find something that speaks to what's important to you, even if it's not the characters. For some people that movie is Stalker or Solaris, for others it's Shawshank or Fight Club. This movie is that for me. It also reminded me of "La Belle Noiseuse" (1991) which, itself reminds me of "Un Coeur en Hiver" (1992). While purely drama films, both stand, on a similar level of tone and quality, to this.
If I was younger than 35, I would probably end the review by saying "How can something so quaint be so refreshing?".
Four Adventures is a 1964 movie made in 1987. Unfortunately, in 1987, compared to the high-bar set by some of the greatest film releases of all time, this movie would be considered small and frivolous. Compared to now, Four Adventures would be considered high art by anyone remotely interested in filmmaking.
Four Adventures is shot like a documentary; You could almost call it a mockumentary, except it's too honest and noble to be a comedy. Indeed, it's very long and very boring, but everything in it is still, somehow, interesting. It's the only boring movie I've ever watched that I wouldn't edit down.
My favorite scene, besides the blue hour, was the discussion about shoplifting: Where you would expect the characters to breakdown, start throwing things, and dissolve their friendship; Instead, they continue the discussion, thoroughly, as two adults looking to spotlight the truth of the matter. Two adults who are confident in their ability to see and understand the world, to articulate themselves and to express themselves in a way that, they know, makes sense. They don't interpret disagreements as personal attacks. They don't get emotional for the wrong reasons. Actually smart people aren't worried about "looking dumb" or "losing an argument". Actually smart people don't care.
Watching Four Adventures reminds me of the time when characters in movies had opinions and personalities. Do you remember those times? If not, you can always go back and watch enough things to find something that speaks to what's important to you, even if it's not the characters. For some people that movie is Stalker or Solaris, for others it's Shawshank or Fight Club. This movie is that for me. It also reminded me of "La Belle Noiseuse" (1991) which, itself reminds me of "Un Coeur en Hiver" (1992). While purely drama films, both stand, on a similar level of tone and quality, to this.
If I was younger than 35, I would probably end the review by saying "How can something so quaint be so refreshing?".
Four Adventures is a 1964 movie made in 1987. Unfortunately, in 1987, compared to the high-bar set by some of the greatest film releases of all time, this movie would be considered small and frivolous. Compared to now, Four Adventures would be considered high art by anyone remotely interested in filmmaking.
