The Barbarian Invasions

Arcand's multilayered 'Les Invasions Barbares' is a poignant comedy satire. The multiple sides of the film include:

The political side: a criticism of capitalism and socialism.

The human/social side: A dysfunctional family reunite and are confronted with their sour relationships.

The philosophical/personal side: A dying man looking back at his life thinking what a waste it was and now he searches for meaning as he lies on his deathbed.

The psychological side: denial, regret, guilt, acceptance and forgiveness.

The ethical side: Pumping a dying man with heroine because it's more effective than morphine

Arcands infusion of these layers is commendable and he's handled some complex themes with grace. No matter how complex things get, he always manages to amuse the viewer with dry and satirical humour. While the story is engaging, the colourful characters keep the viewer entertained with their presence. The darker tones brings out a gloomy effect which contrasts well with the humour. The director has extracted some fine performances from his actors especially Rémy Girard, Stéphane Rousseau and Marie-Josée Croze.

While many of the characters are (suitably) loud, there's a lot of subtle layers within the dialogue and/or background. 'Les Invasions Barbares' is a well-written and well crafted movie. While it deals with poignant themes it keeps the viewer equally amused.