 | MOVIE DETAILS • Name: Mandibules • Year: 2020 • Country: France • Director: Quentin Dupieux • Main cast: Grégoire Ludig, David Marsais, Adèle Exarchopoulos, India Hair, Coralie Russier • Runtime: 77 minutes • Production company: Chi-Fou-Mi Productions • TRAILER |
For those who are not familiar with the filmmaking of Quentin Dupieux, Mandibules (2020) could be a good title to enter into his universe. A universe that, I’m afraid, you won’t want to leave. A universe full of fantastic elements, that can go from a fucking tire with superpowers falling in love with a girl, to dumb cops getting rid of a corpse, or like the case, we have in hands now, a charming gigantic fly getting trained by a pair of dudes with fewer brains than a potato (a regular potato, not a Quentin Dupieux one). And, all of that, covered in his trademark comedic silliness.
But, if it has a gigantic fly, is Mandibules (2020) a horror movie? No, not at all, and nobody should be fooled by that. Although that could be a big surprise, looking for a horror killer creature film and finding a huge joke like this. But that is not our mission here. On the other side, even though Mandibules (2020) being a comedy, it has no other fair spot than to be part of the horror scene.
The movie has been written, directed, produced, and edited by Quentin Dupieux, so his personal style is imprinted in every frame. And many people can call it in different ways, but I think the description “silly comedy” fits very well. Not a big bunch of characters here, but every single one of them is ridiculous in its own way. Especially the two main characters, those best friends that both together don’t even make half a brain. But they are very loveable, honest, loyal, and every single of their absurd decisions have an instant sense to exist in such a scenario presented on the screen.
Because in Mandibules (2020) everything works smoothly. Every piece of the machinery of this nonsense of a plot accomplishes its function efficiently. The storytelling is dynamic and leaves no place for boredom, which although the movie running time is less than an hour and a half it is not a task easy to succeed. Because, yes, two low-life best friends find a giant fly in the trunk of a car and they decide to train her to get money. And, building a castle of lies, one after the other, each one more bizarre than the previous one, their life go on. And, meanwhile, we all watching the screen and laughing out loud. One of the most intelligent stupid movies I’ve seen in a long time.
Overall, Mandibules (2020) has the feeling of classic European movies, especially French cinema. Something that is timeless but at the same time shares some feeling of nostalgia. A sassy movie with the only intention of entertaining the audience; an absurd scheme orchestrated by two criminals with a heart of gold and the collection of freaks they find along the way. A big piece of comedy, solid like a rock but soft like wearing your recently ironed pajamas. Mandibules (2020) is like Dominique, the big fly: grotesque and surreal, but cute and with peaceful cozy snoring; a delightful joke.
RATE: 7/10
IMDB URL: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt10375106
