I know as an online movie blogger I am supposed to love Michel Gondry and drool over everything he does whether I like it or not. Truth is, however, I'm not much of a fan. Just skimming through this new international trailer for his next film, Mood Indigo (L'écume des jours), I'm already getting that off-beat, fantasy vibe his films have, particularly in the underwater kiss, the floating over the city in a cloud car and the "walls are closing in on me" moment. I don't know why particularly, but it just doesn't really do much for me.
As for the story, outside of the Gondry-isms visible in the trailer, the plot synopsis doesn't seem to be any less strange. The film is an adaptation of Boris Vian's 1947 novel and tells the story of a wealthy inventor (Romain Duris) who falls for and marries Chloe (Audrey Tautou), and on their honeymoon Chloe falls ill due to a water lily that enters her lung. The solution, to surround her with fresh flowers.
Clearly Gondry is going to be working with some heavy metaphors here and perhaps by the end of the film Chloe will die and her husband will have to plant her and a patch of lilies will grow forever and ever. I'm willing to give the film a shot and hope for the best, but it's just not a title I'm too excited about.
Along with Tautou and Duris, the film co-stars The Intouchables star Omar Sy and Gad Elmaleh who played the inspector in Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris.
Mood Indigo will be hitting French cinemas on April 24 and does not yet have a domestic distributor.
'Before Midnight' (2013) Movie Review
'All is Lost' (2013) Movie Review - Cannes Film Festival
'Only God Forgives' (2013) Movie Review - Cannes Film Festival
'Fast & Furious 6' and 'Hangover 3' Target Biggest Box-Office Weekend in History
Cannes 2013: Tonight I'm Seeing 'Michael Kohlhaas' Starring Mads Mikkelsen, Here's a Sneak Peek
Cannes Podcast #3: Reviewing 'Only God Forgives' and 'All is Lost'
'Nebraska' (2013) Movie Review - Cannes Film Festival
'We're the Millers' Red Band Trailer and Poster
Vince Vaughn is the Baby Daddy in 'Delivery Man' Teaser Trailer
Trailer for Joseph Gordon-Levitt's 'Don Jon'
Domestic Trailer for 'The World's End' is Here
Final 'Man of Steel' Trailer is Here
Are you a movie blogger? Had you down as a journalist.
I think so... :)
I agree the title kinda sucks. The correct translation would be "The Foam of Days", not sure that helps. I've read the book and sure it's quirky and fantastical, but there's nothing wrong with that. It actually works like a charm and creates a world unto itself meddling fantasy and reality. I'm not so sure about the movie though... based on the trailer it seems they've changed/added a lot of things that were not in the book. In the end it looks more like a cheap parody than a faithful adaptation. We'll see the result in theaters.
Yeah, the book may be great, it's Gondry's tonal style that never really works for me.
Brad, what did you think of Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind? I watched it recently and really loved it, though I can see why Gondry's style would bother you.
It's good, but I'm not bowled over by it the way others are.
yeah, Brad.. there is so much more to Eternal Sunshine than just the visuals.. I recently watched it for the umpteenth time .. and have jotted down what I think of it beyond just the surrealistic beauty of it. Take a look and see if it changes anything ..
http://www.cinemaconfessions.com/2013/01/nostalgia-eternal-sunshine-of-spotless.html
Eternal Sunshine was a clever film, but not a great one. It was charming with great visuals and a clever story, but I was not a fan of the execution. It is not the 'life changing' film it is made out to be. It seems as if it is the same thing with Mood Indigo.
To each his own. Whether It's a life changing experience or not for others, how are you to decide it.
Above comment is in reply to IngmarTheBergman's.
#passionlost
Looks pretty creative. I'll watch it primarily for the imagery alone.