This week, I’ve watched two different films that made me laugh, but it was not the same craziness and the same intensity. First, A and myself decided to order “Hate” (La Haine) on Netflix. Of course, I had heard about it MANY times, but even if I consider myself as a film addict, there are some classics that I haven’t seen yet (such as Blade Runner or Apocalypse Now, but I am planning on watching them!)
“La Haine” is a French B&W film written and directed by Mathieu Kassovitz (who played Nino Quincampoix in “Amelie” and also the main character in Jacques Audiard’s film “Un héros très discret”) in 1995. It is about three male teenagers who learn that one of their friends is in the hospital because a cop has beat him up, and what is their life in the Parisian “banlieue”/ ghetto. The film focuses on 24 hours and the camera follows them through this day, wondering about their friend and the riots that happened the night before because of him – the guy is in a coma -. There is Vinz (gorgeous and touching Vincent Cassel) – a Jewish full of rage who wants to kill a cop if his friend dies in the hospital -, Hubert (Hubert Koundé) – an Afro-French boxer/drug dealer who is much more quiet and wise – and finally Saïd (Saïd Taghmaoui) –a Maghrebin who fools around and places himself between his two friends - . Kassovitz decided to do this film after a young Zairian was shot accidently (but also brutalized) by a cop in 1993. He dedicated it to all those who died while it was in the making.
What struck me at first is that it is a film that makes you laugh. La Haine is not mainly about hate. It is about young guys trying to find themselves in a not so easy every day life. They don’t have money, they’re trying to convince themselves and others that they’re tough guys, they do (and deal) drugs. Even if some scenes are hard, it is more a journey you’re on with them, and Kassovitz has quite a good sense of humor (the whole episode with the cow – I won’t tell you more about it – is really funny). However, it is still about a difficult and scandalous reality that takes place in our “banlieues”, where some unforgettable mistakes are made. And to me, the fact that Kassovitz used so much humor in the entire film and such a quick, unexpected and disturbing ending made me think that this is how people will remember the film. Life is a succession of stories and feelings – fear, love, madness, craziness- , but a single error can take everything away.
Enough with hard stuff – let’s be lighter! -. I also went to the movies on Saturday to see “Due Date”, directed by the guy (his name is Todd Philipps) who also did “The hangover”, which was probably one of the funniest films I had seen in years. Released (and produced) this year, it stars Robert Downey Jr (hot hot hot) and Zach Galifianakis (fun fun fun). Robert is an architect on a trip to Atlanta. Zach is an actor-to-be travelling to Hollywood. They meet at the airport, when Robert is actually heading back to L.A to be next to his wife who is about to give birth to their first child. But on the plane, Zach makes a bad joke about “terrorists” and “bombs” and they’re both put on a “no-flight list”. Of course, Robert forgets his wallets on the plane, and is forced to get on Zach’s rented car to travel to L.A. However, Zach is not an easy, simple guy to travel with –even though he’s very attaching-.
Alright. I didn’t laugh as much as I did for “The hangover”, but there are some VERY GOOD lines – the whole “have you ever been to the San Diego zoo” is incredible, or the “Dad, you were like a father to me” part -. I had a really great time, and it is worth going to see it, especially if you are in a sad mood.
MJ.
