Micmacs

Amelie on a date with Ocean’s Homeless Eleven in grotesque trappings. Or Jeunet different again in his own inimitable way. Sometimes he overdoes it a bit, but you can’t be mad at him when even the "useless and redundant" ideas are so original. Although it is true that in the end it doesn’t all fit (a prime example is the football field full of mines). The result, however, is not a mish-mash; on the contrary, it is a gala presentation of originality grafted on the classic scheme of a relaxing pissing contest movie. (11/20/2009)

Jean-Pierre Jeunet simply confirms his previous filmmaking direction and essentially does not surprise his fans or critics. For those viewers who were captivated by Delicatessen, The City of Lost Children, or Amelie, his new film is a reliable dose of unrestrained fantasy, playfulness, theatrical tricks, visual ideas, exaggeration, and poetics. For those who need a strong story filled with a straightforward plot, Micmacs is difficult to recommend. In his new film, Jeunet introduces a group of outsiders who decide to stand up against the machinery of two industrial complexes involved in weapons production. Powerful arms magnates surrounded by numerous bodyguards, strong financial backing, and the protective arm of influential politicians have no chance against the enthusiasm, wit, and friendship of their opponents. It is actually a modern stylized fairy tale where it is not so important what happens, but rather how it happens. It is one of those films worth admiring for its camera work, appreciating the set designs, costumes, and performances, and to which one needs to return to catch everything that may have been missed during the first viewing. For me, the film is a confirmation of Jeunet's qualities. Overall impression: 85%. (11/24/2009)

A beautiful and sharp comedy with characters that must make the weirdos from Amélie seem like ordinary and uninteresting people. This circus-homeless scam is just short of perfection. (10/24/2011)

Heavily anachronistic (and anarchistic) slapstick with a typical Jeunet freakshow up to shenanigans. The director's need to make a live-action film that feels like an animated feature is still quite charming, as is the fact that the camera itself is often a comic actor in its own right. It’s just a shame about the overarching theme. It would have been richly satisfying if the protagonist had heisted only the heart of Elastic Girl rather than two arms dealers, a theme that, despite all efforts, feels a little out of place in the sandbox where the rest of the film it set. (09/09/2020)