For those accustomed with Gaspar Noé unconventional and visceral pictures, "Intoxicated" is unlike anything he ever done. But in a way, it also feels like a strange trip though more ecstatic and a real work for a change. Here, he documents Stéphane Drouot, a friend and collaborator in some of his films, also a director of his own and who made one short film years ago, and Drouot details a little about his film experiences and his HIV positive status. The latter, though mentioned very briefly and right from the start, seems the more potent fact since he exposes (and excuses as well) the fact he's quite slow in thought and manners due to the medication he takes.
Noé's intentions with the film aren't much clear neither Drouot's stories. Perhaps it feels like a testament where one feels inclined to make because anything could happen or just one deep urge in sharing about what was like to have a difficult experience in the movie business, as we're told by Drouot - apparently he tried to make a bigger project after his other film but since most of his talking isn't much clear it's hard to get an impression of what happened. If Noé was trying to make a point about the impact a chronic disease affects a person's life than he barely succeed with that because the main focus sticks with the main figure talking about the movie he wanted to make (not to mention that in the opening scene while he's taking his medication, of the three pills he had to take, he drops one and doesn't care at all). Might work as a warning to some, protect yourself so you won't have to depend on drugs that leave you slow and with a wandering mind. But if that's the case, Gaspar has better. A short film with similar topic "SIDA", which is a whole improvement and had that motif in mind.
Though hard to think what is the real intent of the movie and of its director, "Intoxication" intrigues us and manages to bring reactions and emotions on us. Couldn't find much on Stéphane Drouot except that he died ten years after this film (made at the same time he had a role in "Irreversible"), no cause given but probably complications from AIDS or something related with his treatment. And so, for this brief encounter here he seemed like someone who truly loved being in the movie business but just couldn't find a way to truly succeed in it. Despite his off-state kind of mood and speech, you can sense that. 6/10
