Preamble
A bit of a light break here. Although A Hard Day's Night is a light, comedic film; Mr Hulot is a very light pice of frippery.
What I already knew
I have heard of this film here and there for quite a long time. I can't remember where I first heard of it, but it has always been referred to in very complimentary terms. In my mind, Jacques Tati was always some kind of genius of silent comedy - although I have never seen one of his films until now.
Review
This film is really very simple to summarise. Mr Hulot (played by Jacques Tati) goes to the seaside on holiday - and gets into various comedic situations. It really is that simple. There is no plot as such.
I'm not quite sure why, but I had always imagined that Jacques Tati would be distinguished gentlemen in his fifties or sixties. I was utterly wrong - he is quite a simple-looking chap in his thirties. His performance, however, is very mature. He develops a character very quickly, and there are some lovely touches in the physical comedy.On the other hand, there are some very clunky and forced moments - such as the tennis scene - which really spoil the flow of the film. I'm not even sure that I really saw anything that stands out in a cinematic sense, and I'm not sure that I was meant to. This is a simple film that carries you along without demanding anything of the viewer.
Overall, I came away from this film slightly confused about what it was trying to say. Not very much it would appear. It was enjoyable, but it felt like nothing really happened. Apart from a couple of moments, there are no really memorable scenes, and because of the lack of dialogue there aren't any sparkling lines to resonate in your mind.
Rating: Rent it
Mrs Worm's Opinion
She didn't watch it.
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