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Themroc -
Surprisingly, I didn't hate this. I actually found it very funny at times. Moments like the nebbish husband hesitantly smashing his apartment with a tiny hammer, the unlucky cop admiring himself and Themroc toying with the bricklayer made me laugh out loud. Speaking of our "hero," this would be a much more forgettable movie if it weren't for Michel Piccoli, who's a good sport and knows exactly what kind of movie he's in. I'm also still thinking about that ending and how the cage-like concrete brick wall and all those boxy apartment buildings imply that modern cities are not much more than Themroc breeding grounds.
With that said, the movie isn't much to look at. I get that this was probably made for peanuts and the city is supposed to look ugly, but despite some decent editing, it's perhaps too ugly. I'm also not opposed to movies portraying taboos like cannibalism, incest and sexual assault, but the way it handles the latter two could have been a lot better. In addition to there only being female nudity, Themroc's sister's constant state of undress seemed excessive and I don't think my puritanical American eyes are to blame for thinking this. Besides, it made her seem mentally handicapped, which makes Themroc's working-class struggle hard to sympathize with. It made me wonder if he's rebelling against modern society or just its sexual assault laws. Despite these qualms, I like stories that call modern life into question, and while this is hardly the best I've seen, it's far from the worst. In short, if you've ever wondered what a Mr. Hulot movie directed by Harmony Korine would look like, this is the movie for you.
Surprisingly, I didn't hate this. I actually found it very funny at times. Moments like the nebbish husband hesitantly smashing his apartment with a tiny hammer, the unlucky cop admiring himself and Themroc toying with the bricklayer made me laugh out loud. Speaking of our "hero," this would be a much more forgettable movie if it weren't for Michel Piccoli, who's a good sport and knows exactly what kind of movie he's in. I'm also still thinking about that ending and how the cage-like concrete brick wall and all those boxy apartment buildings imply that modern cities are not much more than Themroc breeding grounds.
With that said, the movie isn't much to look at. I get that this was probably made for peanuts and the city is supposed to look ugly, but despite some decent editing, it's perhaps too ugly. I'm also not opposed to movies portraying taboos like cannibalism, incest and sexual assault, but the way it handles the latter two could have been a lot better. In addition to there only being female nudity, Themroc's sister's constant state of undress seemed excessive and I don't think my puritanical American eyes are to blame for thinking this. Besides, it made her seem mentally handicapped, which makes Themroc's working-class struggle hard to sympathize with. It made me wonder if he's rebelling against modern society or just its sexual assault laws. Despite these qualms, I like stories that call modern life into question, and while this is hardly the best I've seen, it's far from the worst. In short, if you've ever wondered what a Mr. Hulot movie directed by Harmony Korine would look like, this is the movie for you.