REVIEW of film: “HEARTBEATS” [ = Report # 15 re 46th CIFF ]

REVIEW of film: “HEARTBEATS”  [ = Report # 15 re 46th CIFF ]

               REPORT # 15 on the 46^th CHICAGO INT’L FILM FESTIVAL =     

In my previous Report # 14, I gave you some background on the writer / director XAVIER DOLAN regarding his 2^nd feature film, “HEARTBEATS”.  In this, I’m going to REVIEW that movie (which is mainly in French with English subtitles):

…  Francis (XAVIER) is a young straight-acting, non-effeminate gay man who has a tattoo on his upper right shoulder saying “BELIEVE”.  His sort of best friend is Marie (MONIA CHOKRI) who likes to dress very STYLISHLY as she meanders thru the Montreal area… 

…  As our story opens, she’s accused Xavier of having caused her to be ROBBED, since he allowed a guy to stay in her apartment & he seemingly took a bunch of her things (& left a note in German).  Francis denies responsibility…  In time, we learn that Xavier & Marie each have some casual lovers, & each is looking for something “deeper”.  At one point, a comment is made that, “She’s like Glenn Close in ‘FATAL ATTRACTION’…”… 

…  Periodically thru the movie, we see a gay guy who keeps expounding to the camera on Kinsey’s report on the “TYPES” of peoples’ sexual preferences--  heterosexual, homosexual, various “combination” tendencies, etc.  He also offers “close-up” comments on some specific people he “knows”… 

…  Other people (such as a young woman in thick glasses) ALSO offer monologues on & off during the film, usually about their relationship experiences (& in the case of the “glasses” girl, the PROBLEMS they’ve had in that regard)…  When various “meaningful” scenes come up, they’re often accompanied by loud MUSIC in the background (with the song “Bang, Bang” recurring regularly)…

…  Eventually, we get to the main gist of the film:  people are congregating around a table at seemingly a bar / restaurant. Almost everyone is SMOKING (as Xavier & Monia do thruout the film), & everyone’s attention is drawn to a charismatic guy described as a “blond Adonis” who’s new to the group.  His name is Nicolas (NIELS SCHNEIDER), he’s just moved into town, he’s very charming-- & both Xavier & Monia appear to be sexually ATTRACTED to him…

…  Xavier & Monia are eager to talk with Niels, & he sort of “confuses” them by being warm & demonstrative with BOTH of them, causing both to be “hopeful” about a future relationship with him--  but UNSURE where his “interest” lies…  Sometimes Niels’ musings (such as about “Manichean”) confuse Monia & Xavier… 

…  The three start spending more & more time together, & when Niels is invited to stay over because it’s late & they’re drunk one nite, he’s happy to lay BETWEEN them (in a NON-sexual way) on a large bed after volunteering that, “I like the middle—”…  He does that fairly regularly, is generally “affectionate” towards both--  & both grow increasingly “hopeful” & confused as they try to act “appealing” to him…       

…  Niels reveals that he does seismology work;  it’s somewhat irregular, but, when he works, he works like 92 hours a week & earns a lot of money (like $ 1300 weekly)--  tho he lives sort of “simply”…  He often spends time with Xavier & Monia, both alone & in outings with all three of them (such as playing “Hide & Seek”)…  They also attend Niels’ BIRTHDAY party, where he has a lot of friends of both sexes & various sexual “persuasions” (which makes him increasingly “mysterious” to the other 2 main characters)…

…  As their separate interests in Niels become more intense, Xavier & Monia eagerly accept Niels’ invitation to join him at an aunt’s empty country place near a lake.  Niels & Monia both speak of their love for Audrey Hepburn, particularly concerning her movie “Breakfast At Tiffany’s”...  For her own “agenda”, Monia privately tells Niels she feels Xavier is a very “sensitive” person & “a ROMANTIC” who “IMAGINES things”…

…  But Monia grows jealous at what she perceives to be too much attention being paid towards Xavier by Niels, & that causes a lot of UPSETS.  Other disturbances are caused by Xavier’s “misunderstanding” Niels & his “intentions”… 

…  Due to problems between various “sides” of the relationship (including disagreements about a play), things become “STRAINED” amongst them all, & their associations become very “on & off” over a period of more than 2 years, which drives both Xavier & Monia “crazy”… 

…  After a period of silence from Niels, each eventually have a sort of “CONFRONTATION” with him.  Will Niels choose to be really “with” Xavier or Monia--  or with both, or neither?!...  Will someone NEW who seems “special” enter the lives of any (or all) of them?...  

…  The movie is a fascinating “WINDING” tale of the complexity of relationships, both individual & in “groups”.  As in life, things don’t always go “smoothly” or “logically”.  I found a number of the set images, costumes, actions & ideas to be “STRIKING” in concept and execution…

…  While the “commentator” musings of various people outside the Group Of Three are at times “rambling”, they’re often INTRIGUING & at times work as sort of a “counterpoint” to what’s going on in the “linked” relationships between Xavier, Monia & Niels…

…  This love-triangle movie is not “perfect”.  There’s a great deal that’s been put “INTO” the film, making it complex (and some people might find certain elements to be “too much”).  Not everything “works”, but many of them do, & it’s on the basis of the overall CREATIVITY & good efforts shown in so many different areas that I give the film a rating of 8.50 out of 10 stars for its creator-- who appears to be working to a “different drummer” in his filmmaking…

…  On October 2, Niels & the film “team” were scheduled to be in Namur, Belgium, since “Heartbeats” was competing in the International Festival of Francophone Film, after which it was scheduled tol screen in Brussels...

…  The 95-minute film is set for U.S. release on February 1, 2011...  

[ Note that Xavier’s first film, the award-winning "I KILLED MY MOTHER", is scheduled to be shown on Saturday, November 6th at 7:15 PM during the REELING 29 Film Festival at the Landmark Century theater # 7 at 2828 N. Clark Street in Chicago  ]

CREATIVE young Filmmakers NICHOLAS FACKLER & XAVIER DOLAN

Comments about CREATIVE young Filmmakers NICHOLAS FACKLER & XAVIER DOLAN

(incl. re film “HEARTBEATS”)

I tend to be strongly impressed by truly CREATIVE new efforts in filmmaking.  In that regard, at last year’s FILM FESTIVAL,# 45 in Chicago,  I was most impressed by a young man named NICHOLAS FACKLER.  He wrote and directed an amazing “personal” film called “LOVELY, STILL” -- which is just now reportedly ready to receive a release…

…  The film stars MARTIN LANDAU & ELLYN BURSTYN in a blossoming romance between two neighbors, & (before a Festival Tribute to him last year), I spoke to Mr. Landau in person about his participation in the movie done by an “unknown” young filmmaker.  He spoke of how he himself had an art background, & was stirred with similar efforts done by Nicholas & the vision Nick had for the film…

…  When I spoke to Nick himself, he was self-effacing but proud and super enthusiastic about the movie he’d created.  He was very pleased that I had noticed a number of artistic visual references & “links” on-screen to things being discussed verbally in the film…

…  Nick’s animated passion for film-making was palpable, and he was almost “bouncing off the walls” with excitement and pleasure at being involved with putting his vision on film and being able to work with, and be strongly encouraged by, someone such as Mr. Landau…  I felt Nick was a filmmaker to watch & be on the “lookout” for in the FUTURE…

…  This year, during viewing films in the 46^th CIFF, I had a similar general response to another young filmmaker I’d been unfamiliar with--  a French-Canadian named XAVIER DOLAN, whose film “HEARTBEATS” is to be shown during the Festival.  The original title is “Les Amours Imaginaires”, which literally translates into the more “accurate” plot description of “IMAGINARY Loves”…

…  After seeing the film (which I will Review later, in my Report # 15), I did some background research on Xavier:

...  Born in 1989, he’s the son of actor Manuel Tadros, & has himself been an actor since he was a child, appearing in three films and a TV series, besides being the French-dubbed voice of “Stan” in the animated “South Park” series…

…  At the 2009 Cannes Film Festival, Xavier won a bunch of top “Director’s Fortnight” competition prizes for his first directed (& self-written) feature called “I Killed My Mother” (“J'ai Tué Ma Mère”)--  which he at one point described as being “semi-autobiographical” (to what extent I don’t know)… 

…  Reportedly, his new film “HEARTBEATS” received a standing ovation when it premiered at THIS year’s 63^rd Cannes Festival, and received the top Competition prize at the 2010 Sydney (Australia) Film festival in June.  From the credits I saw at the end of the Chicago preview screening, Xavier WROTE, STARRED in & DIRECTED the film, besides working on the Art Direction, Costumes, and doing the main EDITING…

…  Xavier has stated that, besides having to put the costs for making ““I Killed My Mother” on a CREDIT card, he had to do the same thing for the “first days” of work on this new film (due to some initial “indecision” by the “investors”)…  It was a “nightmare” making the first film, but “a dream” after it was finally finished…

…  As to this current film, he feels it’s purposely “visually…  as shallow as the love it portrays”, with characters “falling in love with the IDEA of love”, & he wanted the film to be reflective of that…

…  He is eager to make his already-planned 3^rd film, “LAURENCE ANYWAYS”, which he’s described as being “about love” regarding a married transsexual man (scheduled to start filming in February of 2011).  But, he’s commented that it’s “normal in Quebec” to have to wait 3-6 or so years between films to be able to make them, so he feels “grateful & lucky” to have been able to make “Heartbeats” without such a delay (& to be in touch with investors re the upcoming film)…  

…  Xavier has remarked that, he’s learned from the current movie to do things DIFFERENTLY on the upcoming film:  “Never, never count only on 2 shots [being filmed of the same scene]”…  He wants to have more angles & [point-of-view] shots, and “All of these movies are…  homework!” for him, & it’s “a great PASSION” for him to be making films….  

…  He stated that, “I’m doing movies for MYSELF…  Obviously, you want to be loved by people.  But, while doing them, I’m not thinking about CRITICS or public….  I’m just thinking about myself.  It’s a very selfish act to do a film.  And I’m thinking about what I love, what I would do instinctively--  what would make ME cry, what would make me laugh. And, I just DO the film, and then afterwards…  come the critics…   Your film is YOU.  If they hate your film, they hate you…  I am not saying this is ‘rational’ thought!...  It’s realistic…  [If they hate the film,] they certainly hate a part of you…”

[ See my Separate Report for a REVIEW of “HEARTBEATS”…  ]

[ Note that his film "I KILLED MY MOTHER" is scheduled to be shown on Saturday, November 6th at 7:15 PM during the REELING 29 Film Festival at the Landmark Century theater # 7 at 2828 N. Clark Street in Chicago  ]


...  My RATING:  8.50 of 10 stars.

“DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS” review

Review of film:  “DINNER FOR SCHMUCKS”

MPAA Rating:  PG-13

MY rating:  9.00 stars (of a possible 10, based on an advance screening).

                         ATTENDANCE at this Dinner is MANDATORY for Comedy Lovers

            In 1998, Francis Veber wrote & directed a French farce called “The Dinner Game (Le diner de cons)”.  This film is called an “adaptation” of that idea, & I found it exceptionally funny and well-done:

…  Tim (played by PAUL RUDD) is an eager-beaver at a "rodent-infested" Financial advisory firm filled with RATS who tend to back-stab anyone that might affect their future income.  His boss at the Fender company (BRUCE GREENWOOD) enjoys playing with peoples’ lives and putting-down the many “lesser” creatures he finds scurrying around his rich-mens’ world…

…  To try to win a highly-coveted promotion which he feels will entice his love Julie (STEPHANIE SZOSTACK) to finally accept his marriage proposal, Paul tells Bruce his idea to try to win-over a rich new Swiss client named Müeller (DAVID WALLIAMS)…

…  Before he agrees that’s a good idea, Bruce wants Paul to further “PROVE” himself worthy of an upper-level job by attending a dinner in which he brings a guest that will impress the others as being the biggest IDIOT (schmuck) at the gathering.  In other words, he & his cohorts want people they can make FUN of in their superior way, & the guy who brings the biggest “loser” to the dinner will be the biggest “WINNER” of the evening (& thus likely to “move on up” at the company)…

 …  Paul chances to “run across” a very ECCENTRIC IRS employee named Barry (STEVE CARELL) whose hobby is creating fanciful human-like diorama / vignettes utilizing taxidermied MICE posed in charming but strange ways…

…  His girlfriend Julie wants to “curate” shows for outlandish artist Kieran Vollard (JEMAINE CLEMENT), & she is very much TURNED-OFF by the idea that Paul would stoop so low as to trick someone (namely, Steve) to attend the planned dinner at Bruce’s…

… Paul finds that, while Steve is sort of “RIGHT” for being his guest at Bruce’s party, he’s not just off-center but decidedly WACKY in the ways he often goes about things in life.  Steve (with no malice intended) chances to facilitate Paul’s being STALKED by a violent ex-lover named Darla (LUCY PUNCH), which causes additional upsets in Paul’s relationship with Stephanie (especially when Steve chances to get Paul involved with artist Jemaine)…

…  Various other nutty characters enter the picture, such as Steve’s IRS boss, “Mind-control” guru Therman (ZACH GALIFIANAKIS), additional kinky guests brought to Bruce’s dinner by other company employees, etc….

…  There’s an inspired NUTTINESS to it all, both during the main film & in a number of “postscript” comments “updating” you on things as the CREDITS roll.  Unlike so many other American comedies nowadays, this one is NOT rife with constant sexual activity or gross-out comments.  I found it to be a wonderfully well-played whimsical “commentary” on the “unusual” characters we at times meet upon life’s journey…

…  Rather than being filled with “clever” lines, it’s more of a “slice-of-life” character-&-situation-driven hilarity, with exceptional performances by Steve (who has a “sweetness” to his goofiness) & Paul (who does another masterful job playing an understated “straight-man” as he did in “I Love You, Man”), with fine and funny work by those in the supporting cast…

…  A number of people might find the whole story “silly”.  But, I found it an often-brilliant piece of ensemble comic work, and I both enjoyed & respected the success in which they “pulled-off” the achievement…