It has gained a lot of acclaimed success from this year's Cannes Film Festival and now I went to see what's what.
Well, I can definitely say that this is something quite unlike anything else. Not only that, but I think I have encountered a new genre.
Director Yorgos Lanthimos seems to have made an unromantic comedy. We are in a world where being in a couple is essential and single people are sent to a special hotel resort where you need to find a partner that you have something in common with within 45 days or you get turned into an animal of your choice.
Yes, on paper that does sound absurd. On screen, it manages to be strangely captivating. That is mainly helped by the deadpan style of humor for this feature. It is definitely an odd experience to watch something so bleak and yet have a deceptive amount of charm to it.
This is Lanthimos' first English language feature and has also managed to attract some big Hollywood stars. Leading the way are Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Ben Whishaw, John C. Reilly and Olivia Colman.
A star-studded cast means we expect the best. That is exactly what we get and it gives the film the humanity in needs from a script that sees them as emotionless figures. Farrell is very funny in what was an In Bruges-esque performance. Such wonderful comedic timing.
Weisz manages to compete well with Farrell in the deadpan stakes. From the narration in the first half, to appearing in the second half, we remember what a talent she is.
We also managed to see an unlikely comedic tag team in the form of Whishaw and Reilly who give us a lot of great laughs. Their lack of screen-time in the second half is telling.
The negatives are not really related to how it was made, written or acted. It is more from where I think this film could have gone. I reckon they could really gone to town with this idea. I fell like they did not go into enough depth with the world that they have set. Thankfully, this is only a minor thing.
Some of the comedy did not quite work also, and the final scene was a bit anti-climatic. But on the other side, you could see that as me wanting more. Sadly, I cannot see a sequel happening.
Despite romance being a big part of the film, there are very little sweet and intimate moments with the characters. What we have is a clever idea that is well made and has a clever use of humor that made me want to watch 'In Bruges' again.
This will clearly not be to everyone's taste. However for those sick and tired of seeing franchises, sequels and prequels and looking for something new, you should definitely try this on for size.
Rating: 7/10
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