Micmacs
April 8th 2010 22:32
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a film like Micmacs which makes it quite a challenge to write some type of a review. Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s past films Amelie, A Very Long Engagement and Delicatessen all have a familiar directorial flair for the non-conventional. Amelie is the most successful French-speaking film of all time, yet conversely, Jenuet’s foray into Hollywood, Alien Resurrection (1997) was considered a dismal flop. With Micmacs, Jeunet is back at home in France with his quirky, idiosyncratic tale of a group of social misfits who find a home together. Protagonist, Bazil played by Dany Boon is a hugely popular comedian in France and is best known as the writer-director and co-star of the comedy Welcome to the Sticks (2008).
Bazil (Dany Boon) has a bullet lodged in his head that could kill him at any time so he decides to live like he has nothing to lose and indeed he has seemingly little. Both his parents are dead, he’s homeless and jobless. Hence, these factors are part of his motivation to bring down the corporations responsible not only for his father's death but for his own tremulous situation.
Bazil falls into his new home, a steel cave beneath a junkyard. It is already inhabited by a circle of eccentric societal misfits, mothered by Tambouille. The residents are best summarised as circus performers without a ring – each has a special talent: there's a human calculator, a contortionist, a human cannonball (played by Jeunet regular Dominique Pinon) and an ethnographer who communicates solely with proverbs. After Bazil discovers the identity of the Parisian company who made the bullet and he determines to affect revenge with his talented, batty gang of affable oddballs.
Jeunet’s world is full of magical schemes which consider some of the bewildering mysteries of life all said with Jeunet’s usual panache and exuberance for life and non-conformity: is it better to live with a bullet housed in your head or have it removed? Is a zebra white with black stripes or black with white stripes? And how can you fit a woman fit inside a refrigerator?
And what does the title mean? Well, apparently it lacks an exact English equivalent, but its loose translations move between, ‘a mixture,’ and, ‘shenanigans’. Its original French title is actually Micmacs à tire-larigot, meaning, ‘Non-stop madness'. It doesn’t matter which title is used, both are indeed apt.
| 155 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Love Juenet and Caro's other work, this is high on my must see list.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Disgracefully, I have to admit that I haven’t seen City of Lost Children, but of course I want to.
I hate to use a cliché (I only resort when hangover or desperately tired and I’m not neither so what’s my justification?), but this could be a love or hate film. Its wackiness is quite astounding in the first section, almost to the point where you wonder how it could possibly come together. It seems almost impossibly unlinked, yet still intriguing. I felt convinced that Jeunet would create a unifying story if I stayed with him. And he did, and then its originality and inventiveness become even more captivating.
I’d love to hear what you think when you see it.
Thanks for popping in,
Tracy
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Comment by Optomistic Opportunism
Japanese Jazz Funk
Optomystic Opportunism
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
How are you? Pop back when you've seen it, would love to know what you think.
Byee
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
It does return to the Amelie quirkiness but with a stronger flavour of non-conformity in both its narrative and actors.
Tracy
Comment by Michaelie
Flick Wit
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
I'll comment after I seen it...but how are yeewwww Trace de Face person???
Long time no type!
cheers
fog
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
I'm looking forward to hearing what you think...
How are you? Hope things are going well for you.
I'm good, thanks. Things are busy but going really well.
Thanks for popping in,
Byeee
Comment by Kleonaptra
Kalikapsychosis
I adored Alien Resurrection! I got the quadrilodgy for my birthday and I've watched every movie twice. Original AND directors cut.
We have city of lost children but havnt actually watched it yet.
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
saw it, but was in a distracted mood, and interrupted a lot, and, well, I was disconnected from it, and so it didn't grab me like the others.
anyhoo,
cheers
fog