Bizarre (2015) User Reviews

Ignore all the kinky cabaret-acts and the last 15 minutes, just concentrate on the love-story!

[johannes2000-1 · 6/10 · 22 August 2020]

Though tempting for a review of a movie called Bizarre, the word "bizar" only partly covers it. It may be suitable to the extensive footage of several fetishist and kinky sexual acts in a Brooklyn cabaret called Bizarre. And to the last 15 minutes of this movie, when the story takes an extremely bizar turn. But between all that, there's an actually very affectionate love-story between two young guys Luka and Maurice. Had the makers restricted it to this, it would have suited me fine. Unfortunately they didn't. The graphically depicted sex-acts in the cabaret take way too much movie-time and seem to have no relation whatsoever with the story (or I've missed tons of metaphors). And as already said, the last 15 minutes the story totally derails.

Visually the movie impresses as a bit experimental, partly very dark and messy (the cabaret-scenes), partly all kinds of arty flashing waves and colorings. On the other hand there were many other scenes that were visually attractive and beautifully staged, like at the beach, on the rooftop, or the (uneasy but tender) love scenes between Maurice and Luka.

Maurice is played by French actor Pierre Prieur, he's cute as a puppy, but his character is so subdued and silent that he doesn't get much chance to shine. It was by the way funny how at numerous times the camera, during pleasantly long takes, followed him from behind when he walked briskly along the sidewalks of the city, maybe the cameraman and the director were as impressed as I was with the sexy way in which Prieur walked. Adrian James as Luka not only has a fascinating androgynous appearance with an uncommon and beautiful face, he played the part of this complex character impressively.

I have no idea what I just watched

[uncsbuddy91 · 5/10 · 3 October 2023]

I'll be honest: I only watched this movie for the cute lead and his accent. The...romance?... between Maurice and Luka was interesting. Nothing else about this movie made sense.

What was the point of the shower recording?

Why did Maurice stop letting Luka look at him at night?

Maurice and Luka had an argument about Charlie and then things were suddenly fine again?

Why did the old man try to kill Maurice?

Why did Maurice leave France?

Why did he set the bomb?

Where did he set the bomb?

This story had potential, but it's full of holes, and the holes ruin it. There was no character development.

No sleep 'til Brooklyn!

[darrin · 5/10 · 16 May 2020]

This is currently airing on Xfinity On Demand for Free. As a native Bklynite in one of the most famous cities...err Boroughs in the world, this was somewhat tedious at times. Its only saving grace was the natural acting ability from the entire cast, and having been shot on-location. The menage-a-trois shower scene (featured on the box cover) appears to have been cut from the film. They edited version only shows Maurice taking a shower, as one of the female owners barges in and leaves. Can only recommend as a late-night cable view.

special

[Kirpianuscus · 4 January 2017]

It is the film of states of soul. Nothing clear. Only a lot of suggestions and references and dialogues who are parts of silence. A French young man in Brooklyn. A club. Eroticism. Obscure desires and past and future. And the need to escape from yourself. Pierre Prieur is Maurice. The film - his strange, bitter confession. The only obvious thing - the need of a place. The desire to run by himself. The fear. And the lost in the womb of society as nobody. Nothing more. And this does Bizarre special. The life of club , the meet with the girls and the relation with Luke, the boxing and the murders, the shows and the delicacy to love and respect and live. It is a beautiful film not only for story or cold end or performances. But for the feeling. To be a story about yourself. Because it is like a gift. The charming package. The nice box. And the bitter truth.

Yet another Gay Themed tragedy: slow & predictable with "eye candy".

[SBlues · 3/10 · 28 December 2015]

The movie poster is deceiving because it gives one the impression that it's going to be a love triangle between a cute young man and two slightly older women. That's what I thought without reading the synopsis, before watching any trailers because I didn't want to have any more expectations beyond my first impression of the poster.

No doubt this experimental looking film is a gay themed tragedy from the start. The moment I noticed the main character, an extremely attractive young man and his emotionless/solemn eyes; I knew I would be curious to watch his "aimless" journey. I was expecting it to be very sexual and emotionally revealing from each of its characters as it moved along but the filmmakers only gives us "teasing" glimpses into a world that would have been very exciting to watch. Sadly I found this film a bit depressing more than necessary. I hope this filmmaker doesn't become the gay version of Lars Von Trier because Von Trier's movies tend to mirror his own melancholic personal life. Never fun to watch but…

I learned many years ago that if the film has really depressing and tragic moments with seemingly hopeless and/or pathetic characters, it usually gets endless film awards. So making these types of films can be very rewarding for the filmmakers even if the film isn't that great or entertaining throughout. In the end, all we have here is yet another Gay Themed tragedy that is very slow and predictable with an attractive lead character for "eye candy".

Side note: The filmmaker appears to be as attracted to the young male lead's beauty as much as the viewer, so much so that he has already started a new movie starring the same actor in one of his next film projects. Hopefully in his next feature film he spent more time in developing a better story that doesn't follow one of those exhausted gay themed scenarios just to win awards.

Throwing unnecessary scenes together just to give your young, fresh face muse or crush or newly discovered "talent" starring roles is one thing but to rely on old, predictable situations of tormented & tragic gay characters is something we've seen in most gay themed movies. After watching a few of them, it becomes uncomfortable viewing because it gets irritating to see so many new and older filmmakers essentially re-making the same few stories, repeatedly.

Bizarre it is but not in a good way

[grantss · 1/10 · 13 April 2020]

A French teenager gets a job at the burlesque club Bizarre in New York.

I had a vague idea of what to expect with this, that it would be arty, explicit and the explicitness would be largely gratuitous. It's certainly all that, and less.

A plot would have been nice. There is none, or nothing discernible at least. The teenager is really just a medium to show all the weird, pretentious stuff, as if it's a documentary and he's the historian.

It's all about weird stuff happening just for shock value sake and is totally devoid of any substance.

Avoid.

On the run in Bar Bizarre...

[DukeEman · 7/10 · 10 July 2019]

The title is derived from Bar Bizarre in Brooklyn, a home for fetish performances that take place on stage for all to see! Homeless French teenager, Maurice, seems to be on the run. As luck has it, the female owners of Bizarre take Maurice in, creating a new and strange path in his life. What transpires is almost reminiscent of the Warhol / Morrissey films, FLESH (1968), TRASH (1970) and HEAT (1972), but with less talk and more visual aid in telling the tale. The standout in this curious piece is the stage performers of Bar Bizarre, and how strange indeed. As for the rest, you watch in wonder and get taken in with Maurice's affection with the feminine anorexia barman, Luka (stunning performance and not to be seen in anything else at the moment).

Two worlds and a mystery in Brooklyn

[hpossin · 7/10 · 23 December 2019]

In the mysterious frame story the handsome young Frenchman Maurice is obviously on the run and offered a job in the burlesque club 'Bizarre'. His good looks quickly make him the object of lustful desires - the lesbian owners want him in their bed, the barman Luca falls in love with him etc. However, Maurice is so deeply traumatized by some existential fear (victim of sexual abuse?) that he is not only emotionally and verbally, but also sexually impotent. So he spends much of his days jogging or riding the metro (elevated only) through Brooklyn and Manhattan, always driven by fear of his pursuer (tormentor?). This one eventually materializes as an older man with spectacles, ring and hat, puts the boy into a panic and is cruelly murdered by Luca. But this is not enough: Maurice wants to get this whole tragic episode of hife out of his mind. So he puts together a bomb with a time fuze, leaves his temporary refuge behind and walks into the elevated - naked/saved? The actual substance of the film is the reproducton of large portions of the show program of this famous club - great vaudeville theater, but also some of the most shocking freak shows imaginable with quite a few of them making use of sexual impotence for a traumatizing effect. Still, even Maurice eventually joins in selling himself successfully as a go-go boy. He lives in two opposite worlds - the upper world of his flight with attempts to overcome his trauma (boxing etc), and the artificial underworld of the Bar Bizarre. For Maurice the tension is resolved, for the viewer the mysteries remain. An extraordinary film, cleverly made and excellently acted

Well acted in funny weird underground story

[asbn-26484 · 9/10 · 31 December 2016]

I liked this movie, not from the very beginning, but as the story evolves - french cute boy comes to Brooklyn and works in exchange for a place to sleep as barkeeper / dishwasher in the underground club Bizarre, - it becomes more and more emotionally dense. And erotic. And this is for me what the story is about: it leaves a lot for your imagination, it doesn't show all, the feelings of Maurice (main actor Pierre Prieur) as well as his motives and fears are just to imagine, as not spoken out. Isn't this what love and Eros is all about. Name it and it's gone. This is not an easy movie, although there are a lot of funny, weird, queer, drag queen scenes, which are seldom seen in bigger productions in such honesty and passion. Because this movie leaves the interpretation of the story and especially the (absolutely not predictable) end to the viewer. I love the movie, I love the actors, their beauty, their self- consciousness. And after I heard an interview with the director in Berlin (Teddy Awards), I also like him and his way of making underground movies. This is not an American gay movie, where everything is clear. This is great European (French) cinema. Its not about sex, its about Eros. If you like movies, where you have to think for yourself and don't get answers served on a silver tablet, watch this gem of a gay themed movie.

BIZARRE AND RANDOM.

[andrewchristianjr · 6/10 · 13 January 2022]

The title tells it all: bizarre, & random. One thing is for a movie to be odd or bizarre, and a completely different one is for a movie to have a rushed, unexplained 20-minute ending.

Artistic Surrealism

[naarstar · 9/10 · 24 July 2022]

This is not a movie to be watched once. It won't make sense if you do not ponder the meaning beneath the images and scenes. It may look scattered and confusing with many plot lines interwoven through but you have to make sense of it. It is a subjective experience that must be savored more than once.

Spoliers & Questions

[piaisadora · 8/10 · 27 July 2019]

I was completely engaged by the movie. But, why did that man want to kill Maurice? Did Maurice kill everyone in the end, and why? Why was he naked in the end? I'm so perplexed by the ending of the movie. But, I can't find any solid answers to my questions.