Tired of movies that all look and feel the same? You want to try something new and different? Check out Reality, a French/Belgian slow-burning comedy that will break your mind. And right away, I should point out that most of the movie is in English with only a couple of scenes where we hear French. Directed and written by talented French film-maker Quentin Dupieux who got my attention with the equally absurd and entertaining movie Rubber, this is one of those movies you will talk about. Reality is a movie of two halves. In the first one, you will be captivated by strong visuals and an enticing storyline.
The second one is the one you will inevitably find yourself lost in. Inception ain’t got nothing on me, says Reality and proceeds to twist your brain in ways it has never been twisted before. The trick (Mr. Potter) is that you want to solve the puzzle and figure out what’s going on with the movie constantly pulling the rug under your feet. And the best thing is that you don’t get mad, just amazed at what the fuck is going on.
So, if you like those movies with complex and mysterious stories that neatly tie-in at the end, you might be feeling a bit frustrated at the end. This is a perfect movie if you’re having people over and want to blow their minds or engage them in conversation. Satan forbid you smoke some weed and drink some beers, I think that would be a recipe for permanent brain damage.
Jason Tantra is an aspiring filmmaker who’s currently working as a cameraman for a cooking show. His movie, Waves, features a story so good that he’s able to win over a producer in a matter of minutes. But, there’s a catch. He must record a perfect groan for his movie, a groan so good it will win an Academy Award…
The first thing you’re going to notice and about Reality is the gorgeous and lush cinematography. It feels just the right amount artsy because, as you know, we here at Subversive Rabbit, really don’t like those pretentious artsy movies. And you could argue that this is one of them, an exercise in strange storytelling and absurdity, you really could.
However, in my opinion, there’s just too much meat here. The dialogue is snappy and funny with well-developed characters making you interested in their lives. You want to know whether Dennis really has a skin condition, will Reality find out what’s going and finally will Jason find his perfect groan. The acting was spot on with Alain Chabat stealing the show with his committed and engaging performance.
I already mentioned Rubber, a movie where we follow a murderous tire on a killing spree, so just imagine Dupieux going to producers and explaining them the story. We see a similar theme here, with Jason trying to secure funding for his next movie and Zog presenting his weird documentary. We get a glimpse into the world of experimental movies. Enjoy.
Director: Quentin Dupieux
Writer: Quentin Dupieux
Cast: Alain Chabat, Jonathan Lambert, Élodie Bouchez, Kyla Kenedy, Jon Heder, Eric Wareheim, John Glover, Matt Battaglia
Fun Facts: In one scene you can clearly see that ”Rubber 2” is playing in the cinema that shows “Waves”.
Rating:
IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2392672/
