dozens and dozens of movies similar to this seem to come out of France year after year, lumberingly slow films based on the intensity of emotion without bothering to give a reason to emote with the characters in the first place. i wanted to like this movie. i watched it once baffled. watched it twice when i had some bearing on which characters were which, then watched it a third time after reading other's reviews of it to see if something was simply going over my head. In all i wasted six hours of my life on this film that makes a tedious effort at showing how powerful the emotions and soap opera shenanigans of everyday life can be, i suppose. the soundtrack for the film is worth more than the film itself. I've seen some good french cinema that managed to put some movement some effort at entertainment, this one yawned and rolled over. I suppose part of it is a bias on my behalf as I generally not entertained by (nor am i shocked or offended by) transvestitism or gay love scenes. It simply isn't my cup of tea (or glass of beer as the case maybe) About the only thing i did like about the film was something possibly suggested at that lurked underneath the plot. The idea that funerals for loved ones often serve as exercises for ego competition has struck me at the few funerals i've attended. An attitude where people compete for the position of king and queen of distraught that suggests a vanity unbecoming of true grief. A film like this could have explored that instead of using cheap tactics and pseudo-offensive ploys to gain notoriety.
2 out of 10
2 out of 10