Semi-autobiographical, semi-documentary drama where Paul Dédalus, director Arnaud Desplechin's alter ego, explores cinema.
It is very french, which is to say lots of pretentious dialogue that gets in the way of the sentimental, poetic core.
I should be in the target demographic, having studied film at university, been a member of various film clubs and attended lots of film festivals, but, alas, this was a dud for me.
Seen at Kosmorama Trondheim International Film Festival 2025.
A fun and intriguing tale based on a true story.
I liked director Samir Oliveros' previous film, Bad Lucky Goat. This one does not reach the same height, but Paul Walter Hauser was great as the titular character.
Seen at Kosmorama Trondheim International Film Festival 2025.
This review may contain spoilers. I can handle the truth.
A challenging look at radicalization. The film doesn't try to put the blame on the parents, the welfare system or drug abuse, but tells us that the picture is complex and not always as we see in the headlines on the news. The morphing effect on the main character's face – inspired by the media's use of the photos of three different women when reporting on the suicide bombing in Paris 2015 – is a bit jarring and uncanny valley at times.
Seen at Kosmorama Trondheim International Film Festival 2022.
