Quentin Dupieux is the most consistent producer of small-batch, artisanal surrealism in the arthouse, appearing at one of the major festivals nearly every year for another bit of deadpan fun. He handles writing, directing, editing, and cinematography duties on all of his films while pursuing a side career in the music industry.
Dupieux's method of operation hasn't really changed from 2010's "Rubber," which followed a killer tire, to 2019's "Deerskin," which followed a killer jacket, to 2020's "Mandibles," which followed a more benevolent-but-unsettlingly-giant fly. Each new film replicates the same experiment to see how far an absurdist premise can go (counted for time, usually about 75 minutes). Additionally, "Incredible but True" (running time: 74 minutes) builds on the unusual tenderness that made "Mandibles" stand out to rather delightful effect while still fitting in nicely with the rest of the filmography. However, sweetness is something of a departure for Dupieux, who began his career in 2001 with the bluntly titled "Nonfilm" and expanded his reputation internationally with the tongue-in-cheek-titled "Wrong" and "Reality" films. The director set up those earlier pieces as playful provocations, poking and prodding and subtly challenging audience expectations with his brand of anything-can-happen absurdism. With "Mandibles," the director flipped the script and switched from naturally aloof anti-comedy to engaging the audience in the joke. Here, he continues in that register.
The time-travel conceit is so delightfully absurd that once the characters buy-in—which they do, right away—the audience has no choice but to follow. "Incredible but True," which is directed by actor Léa Drucker ("Custody") and French sketch-comedy pioneer Alain Chabat ("Reality"), advances that wooly Yes And strategy.
Now, a word of caution to those reading: To reveal the conceit — which is both the cornerstone upon which the slight narrative is built, as well as delivered as an early-in-the-film punchline — does run the risk of spoiling at least one delicious laugh, so please, take this off-ramp: "Incredible but True" is a surprisingly thoughtful effort that mixes and matches from "Being John Malkovich" to the Adam Sandler vehicle "Click" as it tackle. Without even a hint of sentimentality, the director develops the absurdist premise of the movie to unexpectedly reflective ends, turning this most recent project into a true masterpiece in Dupieux's body of work. You would probably like it if you've read this far.
Let's stop with the cagey routine if you're still with us. In the basement of their recently acquired suburban home, Alain (Chabat) and Marie (Drucker), a middle-aged couple, find a hole in the ground that unlocks a very specific portal through time. Those who enter the hole come out exactly twelve hours later, three days younger. The portal may also promise more profound rejuvenation to those who are willing to free themselves from their current situation, even if the potential uses of such a tool aren't exactly limitless.
Dupieux doesn't approach the subject matter like Jose Luis Borges, even if he does take his premise seriously enough to consider its effects on marriage and mental health. Not when there's plenty of fun to be had at the expense of Alain's smarmy boss Gérard (Benoit Magimel), who has chosen to fight the slow decay of age and to impress his younger partner Jeanne (Anas Demoustier) by — shall we say — surgical means. Without giving away too much more of the plot (not that there's that much), the director draws a few superficial parallels between the two couples and uses the weakest voice he can muster to warn against the dangers of rejuvenation culture while primarily exaggerating human foolishness for laughs.
In that regard, the leads Chabat and Drucker competently handle the task, adhering to the farce's golden rule by keeping everything as straight-forward as possible, while Magimel fills in the gaps with exaggerated comic swagger. "Incredible but True" stretches a high-concept, low-execution premise as far as it can go, wrapping things up just before they begin to drag. This is a common technique in nearly all of Dupieux's previous work. But in contrast to his earlier work, this movie leaves a pleasant, almost bittersweet aftertaste, making you almost want more. Dupieux's upcoming feature film has already been wrapped, which is fortunate.Nothing is explained here, in typical Dupieux style. Yes, it's obvious that something strange is happening, but you can choose to either accept it or quickly move on. After they move into their new home, middle-aged couple Alain and Marie (Alain Chabat and Léa Drucker) also have to make a quick decision. They initially just assert that they are not "basement people.". But if you can get three days younger by going down a hole with a ladder attached to it, why the hell not? Just remember to close the hatch, as otherwise it won't work, much like a washing machine.
Then, however, things start to get interesting. Humans typically go through, touch, and invite their friends over if they are presented with a passageway into, say, another dimension or just about anything new and exciting. Alain from Chabat, however, continues to act strangely uninterested. His partner isn't happy with his life or his age, but he is. They soon become one of those couples who essentially live two separate lives under the same roof. Many people will recognize that specific pattern during the pandemic and weep in silence.
However, they are not the only ones having trouble because Alain's boss (Benoît Magimel) decides to reward himself with a brand-new electronic penis. Naturally, questions about "how do you steer a dick" follow, but despite the seemingly endless possibilities, this plot feels a little flat. However, the fact that a robotic erection is no longer sufficient to impress probably says something about the caliber of Dupieux's work and his wackiness.
Incredible but True comes off as a little less polished and hurried than some of his earlier works. By the conclusion, the story picks up speed to the point where it almost seems out of control—almost as if he had run out of time and skipped a few steps, just like Marie. However, despite all the craziness and electric sexual organs, there is something noticeably sad about this couple, making it one of his most melancholy and emotionally complex films. While her husband goes about his day in a composed manner, she fights for a second chance at life and a complete do-over. Even worse, Marie is about to get a rude awakening, which makes it even more tragic that she might have otherwise kept her "what if" fantasies and a reassuring illusion that her life would have been better if she had only played her cards correctly. The fact that those who are making an effort to delay their sentence in any way seem to suffer consequences in this situation is very telling. But perhaps that is ultimately the key; at least they are making an effort.
Comments
Post a Comment