Dodging the Clock (2005) User Reviews

Refreshing movie

[jmlesfesses-1 · 8/10 · 8 August 2005]

DIALOGS... That's what it takes. At least it's a big part of the credibility a movie can offer. And this one has it. We, québécois, suffer of one major handicap when it comes to movies: we have to do a movie where all the characters are going to talk with a french (from France) accent, 'cause it's gonna be international, it's gonna be huge, it's gonna represent what we are...

Bulls*** Horloge Biologique speaks the same language I use with my friends, speaks the same language I use in bed with my girl. This detail gives so much more reality and credibility to the characters that you're connected with them from the start.

Beside the language, there's the story. Boy, the script writers and director simply ask this question: what is it with men (from 25 to 35, i would say) in the 2000s? Where do we go? And mostly why the hell do we have to go somewhere in the first place, when staying right here feels just fine? A real funny movie with a dramatic (and quite unexpected but highly efficient) twist.

Not a pretentious non credible piece of crap like Maman Last Call (using France french), but a real, real look on what is going on with us, males.

go see it.

Thought provoking movie

[void_mind · 7/10 · 10 August 2005]

It's good.. it's definitely worth seeing but not as interesting for me as Québec-Montréal. Probably because the subject matters in the later hit closer to what I am living as a single male in his late twenties. If you go see it, I highly recommend you go with your significant other and with a bunch of other people both men and women because it's bound to bring up some interesting conversations after the movie in the same way Québec-Montréal would.

My only complaint about the movie is it's stereotypical representation of men's unfaithfulness toward their girlfriends. While it's true that men are statistically more likely to cheat on their girlfriend, the movie portrays all the main women characters in it as saints, which gives off the (false) impression that unfaithfulness in women doesn't happen often enough to be worth pointing out. I don't think it was the director's intention to imply that all men are a certain way (implicitly bad) and women another way (good). But since ALL the girlfriends in the movie are morally irreproachable and all the men are so prone to succumb to their baser, morally dubious, instincts I got out of the theater feeling that it's gender characterizations weren't quite fair and even a little sexist. Of course, it also doesn't help that all but one of the male characters are too blatantly moronic for me to identify with. I guess there are a lot of men like that but (sadly) the majority of them are not likely to be the ones to go see the movie.

A real guy film

[belanger-3 · 8/10 · 8 August 2005]

I'm not sure the wanna-be pregnant woman will like that film. If she wants to understand the male psychology and the fear of being caught and home-prisoner for some years, it's the movie for her! The comparison with prehistoric men is very clever. Males will be males, as cats would always be cats.

************ SPOILER (a little little bit) ****************

The poor guy who wants to be like is not-yet father friends. He says he's happy but these friends keep on show showing him he's a prisoner and that a wife and baby are like chains. But ultimately the truthful one will win fortunately.

************ END of SPOILING ******************************

Well acted, clever dialogs, REAL GUYS AND SITUATIONS.

Not an action film. It's a "stay in mind for a while" film.

Yet another great movie from Quebec

[simonblais · 10/10 · 11 August 2005]

I just read other comments on this movie, with some people finding it shallow. I agree the cavemen bits are sometimes overdone, but I thought the whole movie was good. It really represents what's happening in Québec to the 25-35 age group, i.e., late pregnancies, abortions, and I believe it depicts a reality that is not exclusive to eastern French Canadians, but, rather, something happening in today's occidental societies. Robitaille and Pearson are natural, great, as usual, while I felt Trogi seems less confident in front of a camera. This is perhaps more obvious in Québec-Montréal, but can be noted here too. Being a Quebecer, I love when I see characters that are "true to type", that sometimes swear, and even women do. Because in real life, we almost all do, in certain situations! Truly a great movie, very touching. I ended up feeling a lot for the boys in the movie, surely because I understand them, i'm one of them myself, this is my society, and ultimately my problems. Go see this movie!

An important movie that the Quebec had to realize

[lpcn007 · 9/10 · 10 August 2005]

Horloge Biologique is a deep study on the fears that couples live when it is the time to have, to wait for or to raise a child. So, infidelity comes into play in the themes of the script written by the trio composed of Ricardo Trogi, Jean-Philippe Pearson and Patrice Robitaille. Those who already presented us Québec-Montréal in 2002, are coming back with a second feature film. All the dialogues are running around the same subject but without making the scenes boring. At the opposite, the conversations are full of funny jokes that loosen the tight feelings before the most dramatic scenes. The interpretation was really well chosen. Like their first movie, Jean-Philippe Pearson and Patrice Robitaille took the opportunity to get main roles and their talents achieve what you can expect from them. Pierre-François Legendre also has a role and these three actors compose the three characters that the viewer follow the evolution. The intrigues multiply themselves at an incredible rate, but still the interest in each of them stay at the same important level. In short, Horloge Biologique is an important movie that the Quebec had to realize, far from the special effects and the big actors that Hollywood knows how to sell us.

Un super bon film pour nôtre génération

[kcarnic · 9/10 · 22 August 2006]

Roughly the same cast from Québec-Montréal depict a more specific issue than just relationships, that being the biological clock within men. The three main story lines (Fred, Seb, and Paul) are intertwined in that they are all friends, but each has a different type of mate at home, presenting myriad issues facing men who should "settle down" or "behave" in fatherhood. Each one's respective commitment level to his mate (likewise, his commitment to fatherhood with her) varies within him personally, while at the same time, by how he interacts with and perceives the same within his social circle.

The main characters are foiled with characters like Gosselin (will never have a "blond sérieuse"), LaPointe (is hesitantly interested in finding a "blond sérieuse") and Rich (has a decent, ordinary marriage). The foils, along with the female characters, create clever bridges for each of the three main guys, juxtaposing what each wants for himself and what is expected of him by his mate (as it relates to paternity). The opening sequence indicates right away the characters will not be of great depth, but the acting is quite excellent...each actor/actress conforms perfectly with his/her scripted character.

Justine (played by Julie Perreault) is the character with the most balance in her personality. While Justine is not a central character, she plays the pivotal role in the film's success in creating a balance among the parallels and contrasts among the story lines. As suggested by others, this is a great film to see with a significant other, since these story lines will likely produce multiple topics of conversation. The film succeeds immensely in the development of at least 10 characters, so if you can't identify with any of the parts, it's a cinch that you know of SOMEone similar. What also stood out is the intensity with which the music is matched up with the ambiance of certain scenes. At times, you can feel like you've BEEN there, at some point in your life.

The obvious downside of the film is that the real-life issue of paternity is quite serious. I believe the film is more entertainment than social commentary, so my rating overall is based on Horloge Biologique's cinematic and screenplay qualities. However, the social issues are very much left for us to work out for ourselves. One hopes the film (if making social commentary at all) may simply be encouraging men (hopefully, "gars evolués") to make better choices than the characters did (and not act like cavemen in real life).

This film is both relevant and magnificently orchestrated, and is absolutely worth purchasing on DVD (if you can find it). Disc 1 is the movie and Disc 2 is the bonus materials. As far as I know, you can only get the film in Québécois for voice but the English subtitles are translated in perfectly accurate context. If you are a film lover, believe me, you would rather listen to it in the original Québécois than in English anyway, because certain exchanges could not possibly be duplicated in English...dubbed voices would ruin much of the film.

A little disappointment

[poirilu · 5/10 · 10 August 2005]

I was somewhat disappointed by this movie. Yes, the jokes are great and well delivered, yes the actors are great and convincing, and yes we can sometimes relate ourself to the character. But while the official description stated that this movie was about: "[...]three men who try to reach happiness and tranquility, harmony between the instinct and the reason." (from the official site) there is nowhere near the start of a struggle, they just give up to their (sexual) instincts. There is no twist in the story, the ending can be guessed as soon as the characters were presented, and while a great conclusion could have saved the movie, the one in the movie just feel rushed. At the end, it becomes more a movie about trust and lies than a movie about paternity.

But, that movie has the courage of trying to talk about the relationship between the men and the paternity, and while I think they mostly failed, at least they have the merit of trying. And even if that movie is way too hopeless, it will make you think (and probably have a good discussion about it with your wife/girlfriend/husband/boyfriend).

And, maybe, just maybe, my expectations were too high, because "Quebec-Montreal", the previous movie of the writers, was such a great movie! And I hope they will make soon another movie!

A Leopard cannot change his spots ...

[jeromemorrow · 9/10 · 15 August 2005]

...no more than many males cannot curb their animal desires. I don't know of anyone that doesn't have them, _the_ difference is acting on it VS exercising self-restraint. Many guys cannot deny the "call of the wild" anymore than they can pass up on a cold beer (on a hot day, or any other day for that matter).

Throw in the mix the reality of a psychological chain parenthood brings, peer pressure from your buddies, your better half denying you the frequency of intimacy you used to enjoy and you have the ingredients for an explosive cocktail of human emotions and their subsequent actions and consequences.

It is a reality of spawning off-springs that the women pick up more than their share, with their mates wanting to hang on to past glories, and adolescent fantasies.

We have a deep chasm there - and no bridge in sight !

The movie doesn't take a preachy, holier-than-thou attitude, but merely observes 3 couples (and a loose group of friends/acquaintances) at different stages of their lives : 1 has a child, the other's wife is pregnant and the 3rd is being "harassed" to get going.

I thought the strong points of the movies was the dialogue and the acting from the entire cast. I doubt anyone can leave the theater and neither quote nor discuss the movie.

Well done ! Bravo ! Encore ! -> Can we get the sequel from the women's point of view and this time show that they also have affairs, frustrations, exhibit underhanded tricks to get their ways ... basically paint as realistic a tapestry as they did for the men ....

disappointing

[1984-1 · 5/10 · 8 August 2005]

Being a fan of Ricardo Trogi's work (Quebec-Montreal, Smash), and having heard rave reviews about his upcoming film, I rushed to the multiplex to see his new film. I came out disappointed. I still enjoyed parts of it because I like movies that mock relationships, however, I cannot believe that three (not one, but three) writers who spent a couple of years preparing this project would come up with something so shallow. One thing that really bothered me is that the female characters are just accessories. And considering that women are more complex than men, it would have been interesting to explore their point of view (why they want babies so much, how they handle being a mother, etc.). But I guess Trogi & co. don't understand women very well since the female characters were so sketchy.

Horloge Bitologique

[antoinemazet · 7 March 2006]

I will not discuss the artistic aspects of that movie. Something really bothered me while watching it and I really need to say it. So far, two of my girlfriends got pregnant. Twice I said: "You decide, I am ready and I will be there no matter what. Even if we decide to break up someday, our child will receive full support from me,do not worry." They both were girls in their early thirties, asking to be pregnant. Both decided to abort.

So, when I see a movie (made by guys) featuring three men elaborating the lowest strategies to avoid having a child, self-bashing the already castrated male from Quebec, I just feel like being sick. Especially the scene where one guy dressed as a caveman follows a very good looking girl in the hotel room. Let me ask you something: how should the girl look like while doing this ? An angel ? Virgin Mary ? Mother Theresa ? Or simply a cave woman ? (reminder: most prehistorical societies were matriarchal). Overall, this picture makes men look as if they were the only ones with animal instincts and females were that kind of untouchable superior being with no primitive urges whatsoever. Haha. When I hear the way girls from here describe to each other their casual sexual experiences, I doubt it, to say the least. Some truck drivers use nicer words.

I think this movie is a lie and gives tools to that new type of girl in Quebec who deeply believes that males are evil and they could do much better than them while replacing them. They seem to do to us what our catholic paternalistic ancestors did to their mothers during the dark hours of our formerly church-oriented Province. Do you have any idea how many girls here just enjoy bashing men for the sake of it in an almost sadistic way ? Maybe it makes them feel better or gives them an illusion of power or revenge, no idea really. This will never end until people realize that bottom line, not enough babies will be born here to allow us become the nation most of us seem to want so much but do not have the guts to build, because we (males and females) are lost and scared and weak ? Selfishness is everywhere around here. Eveybody is cheating. Extinction is our next step and we will deserve it. Period.