Ricky

This movie was a bit disappointing, Ozon being one of my favorite directors especially for Swimming Pool among others.

It starts as a French family drama, turns into a Hollywood like movie you would normally expect from Spielberg in the supermarket scene and then back to a French movie. I even thought maybe Ozon is considering some Hollywood adventure! The movie goes into the life of a single mother who is stuck in life and could only turn it around with a miracle. And that is exactly what happens, after she starts dating another worker in the factory she gets pregnant and Ricky, a super cute baby, is born.

Ozon takes on French workers' stagnant, even hopeless life on a warmer tone than you normally would expect in a such story. Their life is no fun and only miracles and disasters can force them to rethink their situations.

Editing of the movie was the weak link, as it seemed like the director wanted to get the film flowing by editing and not naturally by the storyline. That approach did not really pay off. It gave me the impression that the movie was shot hastily.

Yet, I was lucky to see the film during its Istanbul Film festival screening and attended the Q&A session after the film. I was glad to see him as a director who likes experimenting with film, even after so many achievements so far. He is a natural movie maker that gets emotions across the screen easily. So I will be on the outlook for his next movie as usual.

What a boring movie. Nothing happens. At all. The plot is nowhere near close to what could have been an interesting movie. How do you take this premise and anger audiences with it? Was it on purpose that we all are incredibly angry now that we saw RICKY? There's no redeeming qualities, and in fact there's some creepy vibes between the 3 main character. The mom, her daughter, and her new lover PACO. The mom has no problem parading half naked, and apparently her and PACO don't even go to their private room before banging one out in the apartment while LISA is home. What a weird confusing unfun movie.

I have rarely expected so much from a film but got so little. This was my experience with "Ricky". After all, it's a story about a baby who sprouts wings--and so it's a comedy, right?! Well, no...there really isn't anything funny or even magical about the movie and I thoroughly hated the movie.

The film begins with a single mom, Katie, and her obviously ignored and depressed daughter, Lisa. Lisa's needs or welfare NEVER seem to matter to Katie and often Katie just does whatever she wants. She sees a nice looking guy at work...she has sex with him in a bathroom stall. She has a daughter to pick up at school...she shows up much, much later than she said and the kid just has to wait. She decides to actually DATE the man she had sex with in the stall, she runs off to do this and you assume the kid is with a sitter or at home alone. Later, mom brings the guy home and they screw again--and it's very loud and the kid is forced to hear it all. The next day, the kid sees mom and her latest passion having breakfast and you have no idea how this will impact the child. Most animals seem to have more on the ball regarding parenting than this woman! Look, I am not anti-sex--but there is a reasonable time and place and being responsible sure ain't important to this couple. Later, they create a boy--and the guy runs off for a while. Call me old fashioned if you like, but I didn't think much of this parenting style.

So, at this point, I assumed that when Ricky, the baby, sprouts wings that the parents will FINALLY grow up and there will be some meaning to all of this or some needed personal growth. Nope. Apparently there is no message. Mom, true to form, misplaces Ricky and the film soon ends. Apparently, the baby's needs, like his sister's really don't matter. But at least mom feels inexplicably inspired.

Why do others like this film? All I know is that I couldn't relate to it or enjoy it at all. It's a waste of an interesting idea, that's for sure. And, it really annoyed me.

I saw this today as part of the Alliance Francais film festival in Brisbane.

While not Ozon's best effort (for me Swimming Pool remains his masterpiece) this is an intriguing whimsical story with disturbing undertones of obsession and sibling rivalry.

The story really makes most sense when considered from Lisa's point of view (a powerhouse performance by the young actress here). I took the fantasy aspect of the story to be a metaphorical expression of integrating new members into a tightly knit family of two (and not just Ricky either). This magical realism is very strongly grounded in the emotions of the characters and this is what gives the movie impact in spite of its imperfections. Ozon likes operating on the boundary of fact/fiction mind/reality, and takes huge gambles here which don't always come off--but in the moments they do the film is very satisfying.

Wow, totally impressed by the performance that showed us L7sa.