Reality (2014) - Foreign Film Friday

Number Rolled: 81

Movie Name/Year: Reality (2014)

Tagline: None

Genre: Comedy

Length: 87 minutes

Rating: NR

Production Companies: Realitism Films, Centre National de la Cinématographie (CNC), Sofica Manon 2, Sofica Manon 3, La Banque Postale Images 5, La Banque Postale Image 6, Versus Production, Canal+, Rubber Films, Le Tax Shelter du Gouvernement Fédéral de Belgique, Inver Invest, Noodles

Producer: Gregory Bernard, Diane Jassem, Josef Lieck, Kevin Van Der Meiren

Director: Quentin Dupieux

Writer: Quentin Dupieux

Actors: Alain Chabat, Jonathan Lambert, Elodie Bouchez, Kyla Kenedy, Jon Heder, Eric Wareheim, John Glover, Lola Delon, Matt Battaglia, Susan Diol, Erik Passoja, Jonathan Spencer, Bambadjan Bamba

Stunts: Caleb Adams, Jeffrey G. Barnett, Pete Dicecco, Josh Hoyer, Chris McLaughlin, Anthony Petruso, Jordan Raoufpur, Spencer Regan, Adam Skinner, Tristan Walczak

Blurb from Netflix: Aspiring filmmaker Jason finally finds a financier for his horror movie -- with one catch: He must find the best groan of pain ever recorded.

Selina’s Point of View:

I am left with a feeling of confusion so deep that I’m uncertain as to whether or not I fell asleep during this film and dreamt it up as a nightmare.

You know that level of confusion that turns into a migraine that feels like a constant pressure in your temples? That’s where I’m at right now.

I enjoy movies that make you think. However, I like some kind of resolution – even if it’s a resolution that can be debatable. Even Inception (2010) gave enough of a hint at the end to spark debate. What I got from this film was complete and utter chaos with no actual indication of what really happened. The ending didn’t explain anything and the feeling I’m left with is not pleasant.

Now, you can be left with an unpleasant feeling from a tearjerker film or a horror, and it would be fine. The negative emotions I’m left with right now are not along those lines. In fact, they border more on regret. I regret watching this movie.

The confusion is the worst part, but not the only bad one.

There’s a scene near the beginning of the film, where a producer tells a director to stop wasting film. He berates the guy for sticking to a bad shot for too long. Meanwhile, Reality is FILLED with shots like that. Long scenes focused on a single unnecessary action with repetitive and unpleasantly hypnotic music playing over it.

You’d think if the writer/director was going to have a back and forth about it in his film – then he would know not to make that mistake.

I hated Reality. If possible, I hated the soundtrack more than the actual film. I don’t know why it’s labeled a comedy, either.

I’m just glad this wasn’t a longer movie.

Cat’s Point of View:

This movie was just bizarre. I am not entirely sure what I just watched and I’m questioning EVERYTHING.

If that’s what they were shooting for with it, they were successful. If it was supposed to make sense on some level, then to say it failed to do so would be an epic understatement.

For a little bit, I was worried that this film was classified incorrectly as a foreign film. It starts in very clear English and continues as such for a good 15 minutes or more before the first word of French is spoken. It’s a grab bag switching between from there on through to the end.

To further confuse things, I recognized 3 American actors fairly quickly: John Glover (Smallville, The Good Wife, We Go On), Eric Wareheim (Wrong Cops, Tim and Eric Awesome Show Great Job, Master of None), and Jon Heder (Walt Before Mickey, Christmas Eve, Ghost Team).

The latter two are well known for indie comedy work so it’s not entirely a surprise, but it threw me off in that initial span where I wondered if I was watching the right movie or not.

There were some amusing moments scattered here and there, but largely I remained in a perpetual state of ‘what the hell am I watching?’ As I mentioned before, I am entirely unsure as to the answer of that question. I’m honestly not sure that I want to know the answers; because understanding this film seems to be one foot in the door of a padded room where I’d have to wear an ‘I love me’-jacket.

You know, the kind with straps and buckles that encourages you to hug yourself.

All told, I didn’t hate the movie; but I have no interest in watching it ever again. I invite anyone who likes being confused and enjoyed debating the nuances of Inception (2010) to give it a whirl.

Languages

Speech Available: French

Subtitles Available: English

Rotten Tomatoes Critic Score – 64%

Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score – 65%

Metascore - 55/100

Metacritic User Score – 7.3/10

IMDB Score – 6.9/10

Trust the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 1/5

Trust the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 2/5

Trust-the-Dice’s Parental Advisory Rating: PG-13

Movie Trailer: