Bungalow | Beautiful requiem for kind-hearted people with questionable tastes

The renovations required to transform the dilapidated bungalow that a couple has just bought into a dream home quickly turn into a nightmare due to lack of money, hasty decisions and a completely unexpected event. In these circumstances, will love be able to hold?

His name is Sugar. He is the cute little dog that Sarah (Sonia Cordeau) and Jonathan (Guillaume Cyr) adore. He is also the only living being able to hold the attention of Sarah’s mother (Sylvie Léonard) when the latter gives news from Florida. In other words, the pet occupies such an important place in the lives of these people that we know in advance, in this kind of film, that it will not arrive at the end in quite the same state. …

For his second feature, Lawrence Côté-Collins (The discarded) offers a fierce satire of the consumer society, while displaying a deep empathy for the people who get caught up in it. The filmmaker, who co-wrote her screenplay with Alexandre Auger (prank), thus orchestrates its demonstration through the efforts that Sarah and Jonathan make to finally afford together the life of their dreams. The purchase of their house – which is due for complete renovation – indeed excites the lovebirds to the point where their first activity after walking through the door – cornered of course – is of an intimate nature, under the somewhat lost gaze of Sugar. .

Reality will soon catch up with them. Not only is the work required bigger – and much more expensive – than expected (a classic case), but the lack of resources of this couple made up of kind-hearted people with questionable tastes will also quickly put an end to Sarah’s patience. To get out of it, the young woman will register as a candidate for Deco galorea show she loves, while Jonathan, a fan of medieval role-playing games recently laid off, accepts a small contract “under the table”, seemingly easy to honor.

Obviously, everything turns into a worst nightmare in a decor that gradually becomes more and more garish and kitsch. It is also worth mentioning here the work of Vincent Biron in the photography direction, as well as that of Sylvie Desmarais, the visual designer. As the great Dolly Parton once said in one of her famous flights, to look as cheap costs a lot.

In this context, Lawrence Côté-Collins could have remained on the surface and contented himself with a caricature, but Bungalow, while fully assuming its dark humor elements, is also sincerely interested in the drama that the protagonists experience. Sarah is particularly touching when she unpacks her bag as an audition for the renovation show she wants to participate in. Jonathan is just as good when he tackles I miss you at karaoke, at a time when her life as a couple is in serious jeopardy and her self-esteem is at its lowest. Sonia Cordeau and Guillaume Cyr always find the right note, without overloading. In their supporting role, Geneviève Schmidt (a friend of Sarah), Eve Landry (a renovator who has a crush on Sarah), Benoît Mauffette (a friend of Jonathan) and Martin Larocque (bar owner) also each have the right to their moment. .

For the past few weeks, Quebec cinema has really been on a roll.

Indoors

Drama

Bungalow

Lawrence Cote-Collins

With Sonia Cordeau, Guillaume Cyr, Geneviève Schmidt

1:42

7.5/10