Every once in a while, a film will pop up, seemingly out of
nowhere, to change the way we think, talk, and even experience the medium. Holy
Motors is director Leos Carax exploring the nature of our roles in the real
world, the dedication of actors, and ultimately the death of film. Oscar (Denis Lavant) lives his life out
of the back of a limo while moving from one "assignment" to the next, including
becoming an old woman, motion capture artist, cavernous urban troll, and a
family man. It's hard to really
describe the movie any more than that as it gets very strange very quickly and
continues in a dreamlike, ambiguous state for the duration. It won't be for everyone, but if you're
willing to dig deep enough, you'll find material that is powerful enough to
move you in ways you never thought possible.
Unlike the uncertain narrative, it quickly becomes clear
that Denis Lavant doesn't just put up the best performance of the year but by
far the best performances of the year.
He deftly transitions between 11 very different characters, each
specifically designed to illicit unique feelings from both the audience and
Oscar. Oscar performs even without
a visible camera recording him"”besides us of course. The line between us, the audience, and stage performance
becomes blurred, quickly throwing out all rules in terms of reality and
expectations. It's a tough
performance with Lavant pushing himself to no end, and we reap the benefits.
As thought provoking as the film is, Holy Motors features enough sequences of pure cinematic joy and
weirdness to keep your interest.
There is a sequence featuring accordions that could be one of the best
cinematic moments of my entire life.
How much you enjoy Holy Motors
depends on how much you get out of it.
The movie is best experienced with an open mind and a willingness to
descend into some deep, dark, and weird areas within. There are so many different interpretations and small
details that you'll want to revisit the film just to see everything there is to
see. Leos Carax has created a near
masterpiece film that reaffirms my love of cinema in a way I'm never likely to
experience again. See it;
experience it, and be happy someone out there is still making these kinds of
films.
