Guy Maddin creates films that, according to Roger’s eloquence, embody a spark of creative insanity, which one can observe in his films like “Brand Upon the Brain!” and “My Winnipeg.” In Roger’s words, “If you love movies in the very sinews of your imagination, you should experience the work of Guy Maddin,” so I went to his last one, “Rumours,” premiered this year at Cannes, totally prepared for a new turn of events from this most innovative director.
There are hints of the visually inspired Maddin whom Roger suggested that you “experience” rather than “watch” but this one is, in my opinion, quite minor in his oeuvre. It’s still funny, thanks to a good cast who are clearly able to handle this stylized critique of global politics, but it’s almost frivolous a film that prefers a laugh to a film which strives to bite into any of the numerous topics it addresses in a complex way. At least, you have more than one laugh the film is quick, effortless and delightful and that’s all it has to be, although I just wish that the sexty year-old Maddin would’ve made it more artistic or energized.
The bond of fraternal love existing amongst writers is highlighted yet again in the work of Evan Johnson. Mr. Johnson shares the director credits with Maddin and Galen Johnson for their creative work on ‘The End of the World’. Three Young Presidents of the G7 Conference huddle around a table placed in the middle of a forest in hope of seeking each other’s counsel on the way in which they should respond to an unidentified crisis. Much to their despair the French mansion which they were used to staying in has been deserted. There are also zombie men and an oversized brain buried somewhere deep in the woods alluding to something mysterious that I still can’t quite grasp. I don’t think that’s the point. The cowed us first my late father said that all the evil and good in us is exhausted in spin. Here it is more or less the same throw some clowns into a real situation and watch their true nature unravel and their inept attempts at handling such a scenario.
As for Maddin’s cast, it may be one of the finest in the director’s career. Cate Blanchett stars as Hilda Orlmann, the Chancellor of Germany. The most charismatic of the bunch after all, it’s cate blanchett Hilda knows how to utilize a soundbite to the press’s delight and assumes control when the night turns deadly. Soberly, it’s Canadian prime minister maxime laplace, ever the Canadian whom maddin is still loyal to, who proves to be the real leader of the team. This is also because this man is looking at a crisis he cannot afford to even instagram.
Roy dupuis, who in so many ways is impossibly beautiful and intriguing, truly seems to have nailed the role. Most of the members of g-7 get their laughs, this time it is Italian Antonio lamorle (rolando ravello) comedy, who reserves an astounding quantity of twisted hams in his pocket. It reached a level of drudgery with the American president being portrayed by Charles Dance undoubtedly one of the most British people ever. Of course, in this case, denis menochet is simply french, while nikki amuka-bird and takehiro hira managed to find a more dignified range of emotions as the British and Japanese delegates respectively. In a way, alicia vikander’s appearance in Maddin’s film would remind me of a plot that I cant explain, let alone spoil.
Rumours can, at times, leave one with the distinct impression of Iannucci getting lost in a David Lynch dreamscape and managing international scandal teetering on the brink of absurdity where government incompetence meets self sabotage. That combination can by itself be amusing enough for super long stretches. Despite this, many times it feels like this is a work in progress and Maddin and the other collaborators still have a great version of this film in mind that does not shy away from satire and is systematic in exposing the sheer incompetence of the leaders.
Even in the thick of chaos around the world, millionaires in power keep debating things that don’t really matter this is the key idea that emerges from “Rumours.” They would rather give more attention to their press conference than actually effect any real change. One does not have to look hard for examples in the international arena – countries offer any amount of thoughts and prayers but are slow in taking actions. Maddin and his associates have turned their cameras to this global tragedy and found something ridiculous in it and they have ridiculed it rather effectively. A film director Roger admired and has been captured his imagination has time and again achieved the grand vision he portrays in many of his projects, to which, undoubtedly, this will be one of the highest profile works of his career (cate can do that). I wish that achievements of “Rumours” would encourage more fans to those who appreciate the work which grabbed attention when making of his name. By his own words, however, Roger’s is perfectly valid, There are few directors who questionable love the cinema as much as Guy Maddin.
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