Micmacs

I saw this film in France today and it's a very good surprise... I didn't know the plot of the story so the beginning was a little surprising, but gets quickly to the general atmosphere of the movie. A little crazy, but very well filmed, colorful, very good cast. Dany Boon is finally a great actor. I like idea to laugh at the weapon industry.

This film made me think of Slevin (those who have seen will understand).

If you know Jean-Pierre Jeunet's filmography you can blindly jump in. It's difficult to do quality and quantity, but when you see his work you have no doubt about what he choose.

I recommend.

The unfortunate well-meaning Frenchman Bazil (Dany Boon) finds himself wishing ill upon wealthy industrialists Nicholas Thibault de Fenouillet (André Doussillier) and Francois Marconi (Nicolas Marié), the heads of two corrupt artillery corporations, who are responsible for both the tragic death of his father when Bazil was a boy, and the silver bullet lodged in his head and set to explode at any moment. Assisted by an abnormally-skilled gang of other military victims, Bazil endeavours to bring down the two perpetrators and strike a damaging blow at the entire industry.

The aforementioned plot could potentially deliver a grim and bloodthirsty heist thriller, but French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet has other intentions. The opening scene in which the little boy Bazil (here played by the young Noé Boon) witnesses his father being blown to pieces amongst the familiar scenery of sandy deserts and Arab costumes, and the following event of Bazil being accidentally shot in the head by a rogue army officer, carry some suspense and sorrow. These serve as a succinct and sufficiently grave acknowledgement of the atrocities of terrorism, yet thankfully Jeunet has the intelligence and frivolity to drop the solemnity at this point, avoiding overstatement of the point and unleashing riches of wonderfully liberating and delightfully unpretentious entertainment.

Bazil's accomplices, or rather, kind and caring companions, are an extremely lovable and splendidly colourful bunch of very uncomplicated characters. Living in a cosy makeshift home, they support each other using their special talents, which range from the remarkable innovation of an expert inventor (a charming Michel Crémadès) to the incredible flexibility of a charismatic contortionist (Julie Ferrier's infectious spunk matches perfectly with Dany Boon's priceless quirks). Their plans to foil the two villains are extremely creative and utterly unexpected, providing most of the film's subtle and beautifully simplistic humour.

Although the film's simplicity does comes at a cost, dragging it far away from Oscar-worthy greatness. It also results in a slight lag in the middle, where its lack of depth truly takes its toll after the initial burst of exuberance momentarily ceases to resonate. However, this barren stretch of reel precedes and is redeemed by the ultimate serving of ingenious wit and hilarity.

All in all a sumptuous treat for everyone, proving just as effective across the language barriers.

Jean-Pierre Jeunet is probably the most exciting film maker today. Sadly, though, he isn't all that prolific. But, when he releases a new film I am sure to see it as so many of his movies are brilliant and 100% unique--something you can't say about most people in the industry. So far, he's only directed six full-length films but they include the wonderful "Amélie", "A Very Long Engagement", "Delicatessen" and "City of Lost Children". This is a veritable pantheon of weirdness--and I can't believe his track record.

The film stars Dany Boon ("The Valet", "Joyeaux Noel" and other films). He is severely injured in a senseless accident. When he gets out of the hospital, he's lost his home and his job. He survives by living on the street and using his wits. Eventually, he's approached by a man representing a group of weirdos who live among the refuse and scavenge. However, these are not ordinary homeless folks--many of them have amazing skills--such as extreme flexibility, the ability to act as a human cannonball, etc.. In many ways, they are a bit like the folks from "Mystery Men" or the TV show "The Head"--strange yet lovable.

Boon has an ax to grind. It seems that the bullet and gun that injured him was made by some VERY irresponsible arms dealers--the sort who have no scruples and like the idea of maiming as many as possible with their weapons. So, Boon decides he will destroy these man--and his new friends will help. Their plan is complex and much like what you'd see in an episode of "Mission: Impossible" if it starred people from a carnival! And, despite the seriousness of the matter, it all manages to be funny and a bit dark--but mostly funny.

The film has TONS of weird and almost impossible to describe moments. It's a great example of a film you can't really describe but one you just need to see for yourself--especially since Jeunet is such a visual director. And, it is well worth it for many reasons other than just the highly imaginative plot. The acting is great, the characters terrific and the director's style is second to none. See this film! And, if you do, look for all the odd looking characters--much like you'd do in a Fellini film. My favorite was the one bit character that looked for all the world like Marlon Brando!

Jean-Pierre Jeunet's 'Micmacs' has definite echoes of his first film 'Delicatessan', a wonderful aesthetic (a strange mixture of world war two and contemporary), a story with an edge of darkness, but also with a quirky heart. It's more whimsical than that earlier movie, but fun in the manner of the best cartoons - indeed, it's rare to see a live action movie more imbued with a cartoon-y aesthetic, and the its visual imagination bursts from every scene.. Perhaps there isn't quite enough at stake you make you care desperately about the plot: it's a tale of bad people (and their downfall), whereas 'Delicatessan' was a (much scarier) story of a whole world gone bad. But it's a fun, sweet film with a definite sense of its own style: there's not too much not to like here.

Jean-Paul Jeunet, director of "Amélie" and "A Very Long Engagement" returns with "Micmacs", the story of a lonely misfit named Bazil (Dany Boon), who after being accidentally injured in a shoot-out, is adopted by a band of other misfits. Together, they take on a band of arms-manufacturers whose products respectively injured Bazil and killed Bazil's father, by triggering tension between them.

As with previous films, Jeunet has produced a world of slightly-distorted reality, much like a dream. Although it does begin somewhat slowly, this is hardly a flaw, and the eventual escalation of the tension between the two forces of evil is truly winning. The ending, which I won't elaborate upon, is also delightfully funny.

There is one slight issue that I did have, which is not too big and actually has little to do with the film itself, but is still worthy of mention. As someone with a degree in French, I did find that the English subtitles were in some scenes passable yet not excellent replications of the original. Equally, I found it quite annoying that the subtitles provided in the British cinema version were clearly done for American audiences. I have nothing against American English, but it would have been nice for us over here in the UK to have had our own subtitles as opposed to a loan of the American ones. Yet enough with that groaning; "Micmacs" is a great near-perfect little film and I can recommend it wholeheartedly.