The film follows a rich young man who meets and falls for a woman at a party as he would marry her only to deal with an illness she gained in their honeymoon caused by a flower in one of her lungs. It is a film with a simple premise as screenwriters Michel Gondry and Luc Bossi play into the whimsical world of this rich young man in Colin (Romain Duris) who lives with his cook Nicolas (Omar Sy) and a mouse (Sacha Bourdo) in a home that is unique. Attending a party hosted by Isis (Charlotte Le Bon) where he meets his friend Chick (Gad Elmaleh) and his new girlfriend in Nicolas’ niece Alise (Aissa Maiga). It is at the party where Colin meets Chloe (Audrey Tautou) as they take part in a dance craze and then meet again where he takes her to an underground forest as they fall in love and get married. Yet, things start to take a dark turn following their honeymoon when a flower flew into her lungs as it would cause this unusual illness.
Gondry’s direction can definitely be described as style over substance in terms of its overall presentation yet there is something charming to the way Gondry depicts the life of this rich man who lives in a home where a lot of objects have a life onto their own while the doorbell often acts like a bug that gets killed over and over again. Shot on location in Belgium with areas around Paris, France, Gondry creates a world that is offbeat where it’s not just Colin’s house that has moving objects but also the world around him that includes a ride he and Chloe ride on with the help of a construction crane. There are some unique wide shots that Gondry uses to get a scope into the world these characters are in while it is also full of eccentricities such as the way people dance to Duke Ellington (August Darnell) where they’re sitting but with bigger legs that are moving for the dance. The medium shots and close-ups do help play into the interaction between characters as well as the emphasis on the latter when it comes to moving objects created by stop-motion animation.
Gondry’s direction also play into the visual vibrancy as the first half of the film has this element of joy and whimsy though it does tend to overwhelm the story at times. The film’s second half when Chloe becomes ill is where the mood changes as it slowly play into this sense of decline. The look of the film becomes less colorful while the whimsy tone of it would also darken as Colin’s home starts to become smaller and unrecognizable. Even as there is this subplot in which Chick’s obsession towards this intellectual in Jean-Sol Parte (Philippe Torreton) would be his own downfall as well as cost his relationship with Alise as it adds to the declining presentation of the film in which the cinematography becomes more desaturated and colorless. Yet, Gondry does find a way to use the visuals to tell the story despite being overwhelmed by it add to this sense of odd yet entrancing tone of a man coping with the fact that he’s about to lose the love of his life. Overall, Gondry crafts an enchanting and heartfelt film about a man who falls in love only to later deal with the love of his life dying of a mysterious illness.
Cinematographer Christophe Beaucarne does incredible work with the film’s cinematography with its usage of colors and lights to play up the sense of vibrancy to eventually going into a desaturated look and later black-and-white. Editor Marie-Charlotte Moreau does excellent work with the editing as its usage of jump-cuts and stylish cuts to help play into the humor and surreal presentation of the film. Production designer Stephane Rozenbaum and art director Pierre Renson do phenomenal work with the look of the home that Colin has as well as the rooms and some of the places the characters go to as it is a highlight of the film. Costume designer Florence Fontaine does fantastic work with the costumes as it has elements of style in the clothes the characters wear as it play into the world that the characters live in.
The special makeup effects work of Olivier Afonso, Guillaume Castagne, Nicolas Herin, Frederic Laine, and Emmanuel Pitois do terrific work with the look of the characters such as Parte in his offbeat look as well as some of the prosthetics the main characters wear in some bits. Special effects supervisor Julien Poncet de la Grave, along with visual effects supervisors Benjamin Ageorges, Stephane Bidault, Jean Louis Dousson, and Arnaud Fouquet, does amazing work with the effects from the usage of stop-motion as well as prosthetics as it is a highlight of the film. Sound editor Damien Aubry does superb work with the sound in the way objects sound as well as how music is presented on location. The film’s music by Etienne Charry is wonderful for its jazz-based score with some playful piano pieces but also some somber themes to play into the drama while music supervisor Thomas Jamois creates a music soundtrack that features an array of music from artists/acts like Boz Scaggs, Duke Ellington, Ray Shanklin, Mia Doi Todd, Loane, and Ariel Ramirez.
The casting by Marie-France Michel is marvelous as it feature some notable small roles and appearances from Michel Gondry as a doctor, August Darnell aka Kid Creole as Duke Ellington, Zinedine Soualem as a factory plant owner that rules over Colin late in the film, Alain Chabat as a cook that Nicolas watches, Natacha Regnier as a pharmacist, Sacha Bourdo as the mouse who lives in Colin’s home as he wears a mouse costume, and Philippe Torreton as the writer Jean-Sol Parte as a writer/intellectual whom Chick worships as he ends up giving his followers some awful advice on life. Charlotte Le Bon is fantastic as Isis as a friend of Colin and Chick who hosts a party and eventually has a relationship with Nicolas as she also a friend of Chloe where she expresses concern for Chloe’s health. Aissa Maiga is excellent as Alise as Nicolas’ niece who falls for Chick over their love of Parte only to feel neglected by Chick’s growing obsession as it lead her to become angry and obsessed towards stopping Parte. Gad Elmaleh is brilliant as Chick as a friend of Colin who is a fervent follower of Parte as he hopes to have a life with Alise only to become more obsessed by Parte’s ideals as he loses sight of reality.
Omar Sy is amazing as Nicolas as Colin’s cook/caretaker who runs the house as he makes great feasts and often provides a lot of help for both Colin and Chloe as he is sort of the film’s conscience where he watches Chloe in her ailing health. Audrey Tautou is incredible as Chloe as a woman who falls for Colin as she is into the world of whimsy and Duke Ellington while also becoming someone who deals with this illness as she is unable to cope with Colin struggling. Finally, there’s Romain Duris in a remarkable performance as Colin as a rich man who has it all and marrying Chloe seems to give him fulfillment until Chloe becomes ill where he struggles with his finances and the people in his life as well as the idea of losing Chloe.
Mood Indigo is a remarkable film from Michel Gondry that feature great performances from Romain Duris, Audrey Tautou, and Omar Sy. Along with its ensemble cast, dazzling visual effects, incredible art direction, and its offbeat music soundtrack. It is a film, in its 126-minute cut, that explore love though its whimsical presentation can overwhelm the story at times. In the end, Mood Indigo is a marvelous film from Michel Gondry.
Michel Gondry Films: Human Nature - Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind - Dave Chappelle's Block Party - The Science of Sleep - Be Kind Rewind - Tokyo!-Interior Design - (The Thorn in the Heart) – The Green Hornet - The We & I - (Is the Man Who is Tall Happy?) – (Microbe & Gasoline)
© thevoid99 2022
Based on the novel To Reach the Clouds by Philippe Petit, The Walk is the story of Philippe Petit’s high-wire walk between on top of the World Trade Center buildings in August of 1974. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and screenplay by Zemeckis and Christopher Browne, the film is a dramatic take on the real-life story of Petit’s legendary walk as he is played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Also starring Charlotte Le Bon, James Badge Dale, Steve Valentine, Ben Schwartz, and Ben Kingsley. The Walk is a thrilling and mesmerizing film from Robert Zemeckis.
On August 6, 1974, French high-wire walker Philippe Petit did a walk on a wire between the two roofs on top of the twin towers of the World Trade Center as it was a feat that seemed to be impossible. The film is about what Petit did and what it took to pull off something like this as it is told by Petit just after he had done the impossible where reflects on what made him become a high-wire walker as well as wanting to do things that had never been done. With the guidance of his mentor Papa Rudy (Ben Kingsley) and the support of friends including girlfriend Annie (Charlotte Le Bon), Petit plans to do the high-wire act as it would take time and effort as he also awaits for the buildings to be nearly finished. The film’s script is quite straightforward in some respects as it is told in a reflective manner by Petit with some voice-over narration. Notably as it play into Petit’s fascination with walking on a wire as well as the slow-build into creating the ultimate high-wire walk while the script isn’t afraid to show flaws in Petit’s character as he is quite crazy in what he wants to do as well as being very eccentric.
Robert Zemeckis’ direction is definitely astonishing in terms of the visuals he creates as it is about that sense of the impossible. Even as he re-creates early 1970s New York City where the World Trade Center towers once stood as much of the film is shot in Montreal as parts of Paris and New York City with much of it shot on soundstages. Zemeckis’ usage of wide and medium shots play into the scope and scale of what Petit has to do as well as try to create a sense of realism in the high-wire walks. Zemeckis isn’t afraid to go into stylistic shots whether it’s a low-angle shot or from above as it adds to the sense of danger of what Petit will do.
The recurring shot of Petit talking top of the light at the Statue of Liberty is among one of the stylish moments of the film as it has the World Trade Center towers in the background while Petit is seen in the foreground in a wide-medium shot. The scenes preceding the climatic walk does have a feel of a heist film with its air of suspense and some humor as it would lead to that enthralling climax that is the walk. Overall, Zemeckis creates an evocative and exhilarating film about a man performing a high-wire walk on top of the World Trade Center towers.
Cinematographer Dariusz Wolski does excellent work with the film‘s cinematography from the usage of black-and-white and de-colored photography for some of the early scenes set in Paris to the lighting for the scenes in setting up the walk as well as the colorful look of the climatic walk. Editor Jeremiah O’Driscoll does nice work with the stylish editing in its usage of jump-cuts as well as some montage-cutting style into the evolution of Petit‘s work as a performer. Production designer Naomi Shohan, with art director Felix Lariviere-Charron and set decorators Geoffrey Gosselin and Ann Smart, does amazing work with the look of the Parisian home that Petit stays as well as the look of the rooftops of the two towers. Costume designer Suttriat Anne Larlarb does fantastic work with the costumes as it plays into the look of the early 70s for many of the characters in the film as well as the simple clothes that Petit wears in his high-wire walk.
Visual effects supervisor Kevin Baillie, Jim Gibbs, Viktor Muller, and Sebastien Moreau do brilliant work with the visual effects from the re-creation of the 1970s New York City and Paris as well as the film‘s climax in the walk. Sound editor Bjorn Ole Schroeder and sound designer Randy Thom do superb work with the sound as it play with the sounds of the elevator and things in the towers as well as some of the calm moments in the film that includes the climatic walk. The film’s music by Alan Silvestri is wonderful for its orchestral-based score with its lush-string arrangements that range from being playful to dramatic as it also includes bits of folk guitar as well as funk where the soundtrack would feature a lot of music from the 70s.
The casting by Scot Boland and Victoria Burrows is marvelous as it include some notable small roles from Ben Schwartz and Benedict Samuel as a couple of Americans who volunteer for the stunt unaware of what they’re getting themselves into as well as a terrific performance from Steve Valentine as a businessman named Barry Greenhouse who joins in knowing who Petit is. Cesar Domboy is superb as the acrophobic Jeff who helps Petit in setting up the wire in the North Tower while Clement Sibony is excellent as Jean-Louis as the man who would take photos of all of Petit’s walks as well as be the accomplice in all of the set-ups for the high-wire walks. James Badge Dale is brilliant as Jean-Pierre as an American who can speak perfect French as he helps Petit and the gang in getting things done as he can bullshit his way through any situation.
Ben Kingsley is amazing as Papa Rudy as Petit’s mentor who would teach him what to do in preparing something as astronomical as his stunt as well as be taken aback by what Petit is trying to do without some form of safety. Charlotte Le Bon is remarkable as Annie as a street musician who meets and falls for Petit as she joins him in the trip as well as do whatever she can to help him and be his moral compass. Finally, there’s Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a phenomenal performance as Philippe Petit as this kind of crazy but determined performer who can do juggling and all sorts of things while his main gift is to walk on a high wire as he wants to do one of the craziest stunts where Gordon-Levitt provides some charm and energy as it’s one of his finest performances.
The Walk is a sensational film from Robert Zemeckis that features an incredible performance from Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Philippe Petit. Featuring an excellent supporting cast and dazzling visuals, it’s a film that plays into what could be possible with some imagination and determination. While the 2008 James Marsh documentary Man on Wire is the more definitive story of Petit, this is still a fitting companion to Marsh’s film. In the end, The Walk is a remarkable film from Robert Zemeckis.
Related: Man on Wire
Robert Zemeckis Films: (I Wanna Hold Your Hand) - (Used Cars) - (Romancing the Stone) - Back to the Future - (Who Framed Roger Rabbit?) - (Back to the Future Part II) - (Back to the Future Part III) - (Death Becomes Her) - (Forrest Gump) - (Contact) - (What Lies Beneath) - (Cast Away) - (The Polar Express) - (Beowulf (2007 film)) - (A Christmas Carol (2009 film)) - Flight (2012 film) - (Doc Brown Saves the World) - (Allied (2016 film))
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