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MicMacs
Rating: 7/10
Cast: Danny Boon, Dominique Pinon, Andre Dussollier
Director: Jean Pierre Jeunet
A Jeunet film is always a joy to behold.
For those who know their French films will be familiar with this director; he brought us the wonderful Delicatessen and the nightmareish City of Lost Children.
In French film, Micmacs, Danny Boon plays Bazil, who, as a boy lost his father to a landmine explosion - and who in later life, is shot in the head while witnessing a robbery and minding his own business.
After recovering, Bazil finds himself homeless and (understandably) bearing somewhat of a grudge against the weapons manufacturers who had a hand in these key moments of his life
So when he's taken in by a bunch of homeless people, and galvanised into action, Bazil sets about manufacturing the downfall of those who've wronged him.
MicMacs is a slight premise strung together by some wonderfully whimsical moments - it's a series of carefully orchestrated heists perpetrated by Bazil and his gang as they try to bring down the arms dealers.
But it's a seriously loveable surreal collection of cinematic images. Jeunet's always had the eye towards a What The? moment and this latest film doesn't disappoint. There's plenty of his trademark close up eye shots, strange moments such as an orchestra playing on the steps of a building and some brilliantly darkly humorous moments - a landmine on a football field (trust me, it makes hilarious sense within the film.)
Jeunet's also inventive; the set where the homeless people live is a rubbish dump - and while all of them reuse and recycle (like a bunch of oddball Wombles) one of the inhabitants spends his time bringing the garbage to life - which leads to some delightfully inventive cinematic moments.
Sadly though the human story is more a case of style over substance; all of the actors do well with it - Boon in particular channels some of the best silent comedians around, but they play second fiddle to the moments scattered throughout.
Finally though, it scores highly for me personally, because of the Delicatessen reference. Genius.
