3.5/5
DVD release: USA
Country of origin: Belgium
Time: 80 min.
Pros:
Good cast
Beautiful photography
Nice story
Likable characters.
Cons:
At times slow in parts
Some strange occurrences that are never explained
Didn't care much for the ending
Synopsis:
Yvan and Elie are two loners who wander aimlessly through their lives. Yvan is a quick-tempered 40-year-old vintage car dealer while Elie is a young burglar and ex-junkie. One day Yvan catches Elie trying to rob him. Instead of beating him up, he becomes strangely attached to him and agrees to drive him home to his parents in his old Chevrolet. Yvan and Elie are both nostalgic about lost relationships, which is what leads them to undertake a bizarre journey through a region that is as spectacular as it is crazy. Both are trying to find the pieces of a puzzle that they want to put back together, but it might be too late.
Review:
Now this is an interesting movie of sorts. It's sort of like a road picture/buddy picture rolled into one. The two main charaters, Yvan (Bouli Lanners - who is also the director of the film) and Elie (Fabrice Adde) meet under - to say the least - unusual circumstances. But eventually become buddies as Yvan finds out that Elie is an ex-junkie (or is he) just trying to get money to get home. Hearing his story, Yvan decides to drive Elie to his hometown.
Along the way they learn a bit about each other. Each finds out what makes the other tick. Also, on this journey they come across some interesting people and experiences. But, this is where some of the problems with the movie comes in also. During this journey there are some spots where the pace of the film slows down a bit. Fortunately, they are few and don't last long, but do occur. Also, some of the people they meet and experiences they come across aren't explained. They may not be relevant to the story, but it would help if we knew what they were about. Fr'instance what's up with the nude guy and also the Doberman. Especially the Dobie. There must be an interesting story there, but we never find out.
Overall though it is a nice little story of discovery - both about oneself as well as another person. In the end you care for the main characters. Which brings up another of the cons. I personally feel this film didn't end. There is no closure here. We don't really know the fate of Elie. And Yvan is just left there alone in the end. Maybe that was the director's intention. But I feel incomplete.
Since this is also a road film there are some beautiful scenery shots. Kudos to Director Lanners and DP Jean-Paul de Zaetijd. They did a wonderful job. Showing us some beautiful countryside but not lingering too long on these scenes. I guess a part of that could also be attributed to Editor Ewin Ryckaert.
Overall a nice watchable film.
The DVD comes to us in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. The sound is in Dolby Digital. Soundtrack is French with removable English subtitles in easy to read yellow. Like with all other Film Movement releases, this comes with a short film.
It's a 14-min. Swiss short called Icebergs. Not sure what to make of this one or why the film was even made. It's about a girl who gets her cellphone stolen. Finds the person who did it, gets her phone back, only to fond out he has and continues to do that to others.
