MUBI

Last year i attended a Screening/Q&A of Sofia Coppola’s latest film ‘Somewhere’ (a movie i included on my TOP 10 movies of 2010). After the movie I asked Sofia if some of her motivation for making the film was 2008’s ‘35 Shots Of Rum’. Both movies are a positive look at fatherhood (specifically single fathers raising daughters) both directed by women and have the same chilled out, dreamy atmosphere. I had high hopes this conversation would open up a nice chain of dialogue between her and I. I know the term “female director” is silly, but these last few years its been almost impossible to not recognize that women have been putting in serious work behind the camera (Sofia Coppola, Claire Denis, Marina De Van, Katheryn Bigelow, Lynne Ramsay, etc etc). Its very similar to that period in the 90’s when black filmmakers (Spike Lee, Mario Van Peeples, John Singleton, Matty Rich, etc) had their mini-explosion for a few years. Anyway, I made the naive assumption that Coppola was inspired by Denis not just because she was another female director, but they’re latest movies were very similar. To my disappointment, Sofia Coppola had no idea what i was talking about. She hadn’t seen ‘35 Shots Of Rum’, so that kinda ended the dialogue between us pretty quickly (although before I sat down, I highly recommended that she check it out). Even though Sofia drew no inspiration from Claire Denis’ ‘35 Shots Of Rum’, they’re still spiritually connected in the same way as ‘Blue Velvet’ & ‘Something Wild’, ‘Lost Highway’ & ‘Crash’ (1996), ‘Kes’ & ‘Ratcatcher’ and many more.

Hints & Implications are 2 words i often use when talking about Claire Denis’ style, and ‘35 Shots’ may be the best example of that. To sum the movie up nicely, its a story about a widowed father (“Lionel”) and his relationship with his daughter (“Josephine”), neighbors, co-workers and close friends. Its never directly said his wife died, but through Denis’ unique film making style, you just kinda know. Sounds pretty boring, right? A father/daughter movie with no abuse or dysfunction where barely anyone raises their voice. But its surprisingly a very engaging, interesting film with both serious and/or heartwarming moments as well as funny moments. I don’t know If I’d include this in my Top 50 films of the decade, but it would easily be an honorable mention (and besides, Claire Denis already has a couple of films on that list so its OK).
‘35 Shots Of Rum’ is partially inspired by Yasujiru Ozu, specifically his films ‘Early Summer’ & ‘Late Spring’, in the sense that a big part of the film deals with a father learning to let go of his daughter.

“(35 Shots) grew under the shade of Late Spring” – Claire Denis (NY Times, 2009)

There’s little side stories and subplots involving the supporting characters that surround Lionel & Jospehine: 2 different men (“Noe” & “Ruben”) are pursuing Jospehine, one of their neighbors (“Gabrielle”) clearly has a “thing” for Lionel and is trying to be somewhat of a mother figure to Josephine & Lionel’s friend/co-worker (“Rene”) has been forced in to early retirement for an unnamed reason which puts him in a deep depression. Whats also quite interesting is that there’s no explanation as to why the movie is actually called ‘35 Shots Of Rum’. There’s a few hints, but nothing is completely explained.

In my “Cinema Of Claire Denis” exploration (which can be used as a great study guide when reading about her films on this site), Intimacy was one of the categories. This one movie alone could be studied on how she creates so many great intimate moments (both romantic and non-romantic) with just a simple touch or stroke of the face. There’s intimate moments between family members, friends and lovers in ‘35 Shots Of Rum’ that connect with so many other previous Denis films like ‘Trouble Every Day’ or ‘Friday Night’.

This may be his best performance next to ‘No Fear, No Die’ (Descas’ first collaboration with Denis) or ‘Lumumba’ (where he plays Mobutu). Its one of those performances that grows on you or creeps up on you over the years and makes you realize how quietly amazing and commanding he is in ‘35 Shots Of Rum’ (and just about anything else he’s in). ‘No Fear No Die’ is becoming more and more rare these days, so ‘35 Shots Of Rum’ might be the best film to introduce someone to Alex Descas. In an interview, Claire Denis had this to say about her longtime collaborator…

“I would not make the film without him. I think that Alex Descas always has a past, don’t you? It’s like he brings an inside story to his characters” – Claire Denis (reverseshot.com)

This statement could be said about almost all of the characters Descas has played over the years. His stern face and minimal facial expressions really do make him a more mysterious figure. He has the same face and mannerisms in most films, yet you never get bored watching him. Seeing him smile kinda feels like a treat because its so rare on camera. In ‘35 Shots Of Rum’ his character deals with a lot of issues internally. His friend and co-worker commits suicide, he still thinks about his wife and he’s coming to terms that his daughter is no longer a little kid. Vincent London in ‘Friday Night’ and Denis Lavant in ‘Beau Travail’ are probably the only actors to come close to matching Descas’ leading man persona in a Claire Denis film.

‘35 Shots’ is definitely in the top half of Denis’ filmography. It’s one of her only films that (in my opinion) doesn’t draw inspiration from the directors she’s commonly associated with like; Jarmusch, Wim Wenders or Tarkovsky. Claire Denis has always professed her love of Ozu’s work, but this is the first film that really draws a direct influence. Furthermore, this is the first NON-DYSFUNCTIONAL family film that Denis has ever done. ‘Nenette & Boni’ is about 2 estranged siblings (one a pregnant teen) that both hate their father. And the family dynamic in both; ‘I Cant Sleep’ and ‘White Material’ are dysfunctional as well.
Even after all that I’ve just said about it, there’s still an indescribably sweet yet mature atmosphere i cant put in to words. It’s a must see.

Due to what I feel is a lack of foreign film reviews, I wrote this one and plan on focusing more on them. It’s ironic considering it’s one of my favorite genre of films, Since it seems any film with subtitles no matter what actual genre it would normally fall into in America just is natuarally put in the foreign film catageory.

Let me be honest with you one of the main reasons I watched this film was after seeing the trailer seeing actress Marie Ditop for the first time. I was so taken by her beauty I felt like I was seeing a new screen goddess. Luckily I enjoyed the film For other reasons too.
To tell you the truth though I may have watched this film eventually I wouldn’t have discovered it as fast if not for her.

The Films serves up healthy doses of her. Though Alex DeCasCas is the star of the film. The film Focuses more on her character as she seems featured about the same amount as him.

Like most foreign films. The film is short on plot. As everything that happens seems natural and all about emotion. At times it seems more about what is not said then what is said. The film unfolds almost like a book as you get to know the characters individually and within the dynamics of one another. You get to witness their actions. To me it moves along smoothly, it’s slow. and though not much seems to happen a lot does.

The story is about a father and daughter who are close as can be. As the film goes on, it explores their relationships such as with significant others and friends. The drama that exists there that makes them examine the relationship that they have.

It’s more exciting then I make it sound. At the beginning of the film I thought I had an idea where the film was going more about the affairs of the heart and breaking away. Then all of a sudden it seems to change it’s focus and energy. Which at first felt a little disappointing but still interesting.

I like foreign films it truly gives you a chance to see a different sensibility then yours and also let’s you see the different ways of telling a story and seeing films that are successful in their homeland without necessarily following the rules and material most of the time of big budget American films. Like films of the 70’s foreign films feel like they have style but most important to the film is story and character. It also gives you a chance to see and observe other cultures from the inside instead of just being a bystander, But most foreign films though they are based in different countries and speak different languages there themes are universal.

That rare joy of going to see a film about which you know nothing, and finding yourself transported to a place you never imagined you’d visit…

Denis’ film takes place in a world of Parisian immigrants. Initially we meet Lionel, who drives a metro train, and his work colleagues, all of them black. Lionel lives with his daughter, Josephine, in an apartment block which contains their extended family, although it’s never altogether clear how Noe and Gabrielle are connected. The narrative dances on the line of abstraction; the connections between the characters are never stated. In the coda scene, Lionel and Josephine, so close that they sometimes seem like lovers, travel to Lubeck and meet Josephine’s aunt, before laying flowers at her mother’s grave. Whether her German mother’s relationship with Lionel was long lasting or brief is never clear; what is clear is the depth of the relationship between the aunt and Josephine. As though Denis is stripping back all the detail of race and nationality, homing in on the emotional ties that supersede everything else.

And yet… the first ten minutes of the film are slow and cryptic; extended shots of Paris from the cab of Lionel’s train, a gradual introduction to the characters. Then there’s a scene in Josephine’s university. She’s studying (presumably) politics and development; a classful of immigrants from the South discussing Stiglitz and the possibilities of restoring the balance between third and first world. The scene ends with a student talking about Fanon, (and suggesting that many of these students would not have read him) stating that revolution will not occur because of any coherent plan, but because those who are about to revolt have run out of air to breathe. The scene (reminiscent of Zabriskie Point) slots into the film like a fly in the ointment, establishing the political context of the film’s character’s lives, only for the politicized approach to be then discarded as readily as it’s taken up.

Instead the focus turns to the slow unwinding of the relationships of these four sympathetic, dysfunctional figures, a dance that comes to life when they’re stranded in a late night bar together, and they dance with one another. They dance to the unlikely sound of The Commodores 80’s hit, The Night Shift, and the scene has echoes of the haunting scene in Ozon’s 5×2. Dance, a language freed of words, might be the purest form of drama, and as the song plays itself out, each of the characters has their hearts revealed, and all the melancholy that underpins their lives and tangled loves is played out in a weirdly moving dumb show.

35 Shots of Rum is one of those film that defies intelligent criticism. Because it’s doing something that seems almost intangible, or magical, or what you will, and that magic operates entirely within in a cinematic lexicon. If you wrote the scenes out on the page, they might not amount to much. But assembled as they are, with a deliberate, elliptical pacing, they’re transformed into some kind of revelation, of how a small corner of Paris lives, and how we also live, wherever we are.

There are no clean breaks. Life is messy and wonderful all at once as we grow older each day, striving for that little bit of excitement and longing to continue on. We all have dreams and aspirations, but oftentimes they fall into the background as life itself takes over, pushing us in one direction without a chance to breathe and say no. There is always that love keeping us going whether from a significant other or a child or a friend. Sometimes too, that love could be someone not able to reciprocate it, no matter how close the two of you are to each other. The living move on while the dead are laid to rest, relationships evolve or devolve depending on fate, fact, or age. Claire Denis understands these simple truths and has encapsulated them all in the magnificent gem that is 35 Rhums [35 Shots of Rum], showing us four Parisians that have lived in disharmonious harmony for what seem their entire lives. For some reason, however, the period of time displayed explodes in a powderkeg of emotion and progression, finally allowing each to take stock of his or herself and move on towards the future they’ve kept in front of them for too long.

Lionel, his daughter Joséphine, her surrogate mother Gabrielle, and her childhood friend Noé all come together one last time, an event that hasn’t occurred in forever. Each is at a crossroads wondering about their next step, carefully watching the others for some sign or clue for what to do. Lionel sees his friend retire from their job running the trains/subway and the loneliness and fear of the unknown he shows. Seeing his own mortality, he begins to worry about his daughter spending so much time taking care of him, hoping and trying to let her know that he will be okay. Jo herself is in school, studying hard, and working a part time job at a record store, being the woman of the house when she comes home, cherishing the routine that has served the duo well for so many years. Gaby is entrenched with her taxicab, loving the adventure it creates with new customers each day, but longing for something big, not to mention pining for Lionel and hoping that one day he will notice her as she does him. And Noé is a successful young man constantly traveling for business, retaining his parents’ old apartment and belongings, including the family cat, rather than leaving to make his own mark. Jo asks him one day why he has stayed and his smile tells us—if she doesn’t want to accept the truth—that it is her, the only attachment he has allowed himself to keep in his heart.

All four characters go through the weeks, maybe months, shown onscreen by crisscrossing one another and pretending everything is all right when in fact nothing is. They are all living in the past, dreaming their dreams but doing nothing to let them come true. It is the oldest story in the book, something each and every one of else deals with at some point of our lives. There is always the easy answer keeping us from achieving the big prize out there for the taking, if only we were bold enough to reach out and grab it. Their reunion together as a ‘family’ eventually reaches its climax while attempting to see a concert in the city. Car trouble ensues, Noé sees another man court his Jo, and the foursome find themselves at a bar past closing time, looking each other in the eyes and taking the plunge for better or for worse. There is dancing, there is kissing, there is love, and there is heartbreak. When all is said and done, decisions are made that risk shaking up the equilibrium all have become so accustomed to. Their lives are forever changed by this one night—a wrench thrown into the middle—accelerating choices to be made and allowing all to look behind them and say goodbye to the past, whether that means the death of a family pet or visiting the grave of a deceased family member. In order to move forward, one must acquiesce with what’s been left behind.

I love how the film was shot, very up close and personal. We see the quivering faces during times of sadness and the jubilance at times of happiness as the camera frames each actor to allow them to do their thing. Many shots linger on hands or feet; we see menial activities such as cooking dinner, taking a shower, or smoking on the balcony awaiting the return of a loved one. It is the little details that draw you in to the big picture on display. By watching them all partake in the everyday minutiae, we are able to project ourselves into the film, relating to every emotion by remembering the last time we felt the same. This foursome of actors fully embody their roles; bringing each to life for us to follow. They are everyday folk that we work with, pass in the street, and share a beer with at the pub. Nicole Dogue’s Gaby shows her ceaseless sense of joy and love towards Jo as though she is her own daughter. No matter what Lionel does to hurt her feelings, she keeps the smile on her face, looking towards a new day. Grégoire Colin’s Noé has that deer in the headlight stare, contemplating his next move, hoping that Jo will finally look at him the way he does her. Unable to ask her to go with him due to her father being alone, all he can do is wait for life to intervene. And Mati Diop’s Jo is so strong and weak altogether. She gives so much of herself to those around her that she has never discovered a way to live for only her.

But the real story here pertains to Alex Dascas’s Lionel. This man is stoic perfection, finding himself on the outskirts, always watching and listening. A man of few words, he is also one of many emotions, knowing far more than he lets on of what is happening around him. Denis has crafted him as the one they all look towards for guidance, but, until he sees his friend’s inability to go on after retirement, he doesn’t realize how far they have all come without ever really going anywhere. There has been no real day that has stood out to him as one to remember above all the others; he has trapped himself away from the rest of the world for too long. Life does eventually start to move forward without him, pushing his own necessity for progression quicker than he might have wanted. But Lionel is an adapter, able to look at the future and smile with hope. All we can do, any one of us, whether we feel stuck in a rut or in over our heads, is hope for that one day that comes along once in a lifetime to be able to put caution to the wind and drink up thirty-five shots of rum in one sitting. That is the day we all strive for and hope to see before life gets too far ahead of us.

35 Rhums [35 Shots of Rum] 9/10

http://jaredmobarakreviews.wordpress.com/2009/12/30/35-rhums-35-shots-of-rum/