Posted at 12:30 p.m.
Intentionally creating magic in a story is probably the hardest thing to attempt, especially when you then have to translate it into images in a more realistic context. Clovis Cornillac, who signs here a third feature film as director (after A little much, blindly and Belle and Sebastian: The Last Chapter), obviously wanted to be part of the movement of Fabulous destiny of Amélie Poulainbut the comparison, alas, is hardly in his favor.
With this naive character who finds himself in a world where his kindness is so sincere that it becomes disarming, Clovis Cornillac wanted to bring a little kindness to a world that really needs it. Borrowing the tone of a fable, taking great care of his film on the aesthetic level (the scenes in a flowery cave are visually splendid), he nevertheless crosses the border separating magical realism from the overflow of good feelings.
The result is a somewhat dated look, a bit wobbly, too. The metaphor of the character’s fading, which pales in contact with the contemporary world, is also a little big. Even when looking for the inner child who always lies dormant in us, it is difficult to subscribe to this proposal where everything is underlined in too broad strokes.
There remain the good performances of Clovis Cornillac, who himself plays the protagonist, and Alice Pol in the role of a young woman touched by so much candor. We should also point out the fine presence of Myriam Boyer, an actress revealed in the 1970s, thanks in particular to Jonas who will be 25 in the year 2000, by Alain Tanner. Remember that the filmmaker’s mother, whose career now spans five decades, also played a role in The old country where Rimbaud diedfrom Quebecer Jean-Pierre Lefebvre.
That’s wonderful ! is on display.
fantasy comedy
That’s wonderful !
Clovis Cornillac
With Clovis Cornillac, Alice Pol, Manon Lemoine
1:37 a.m.
Indoors