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Happenstance (2001)
Runtime: 1 hr 37 mins
Synopsis: French director Laurent Firode presents this filmic oddity, which explores the idea--and the effects--of chaos theory over the course of one day in Paris. The concept, as treated in the film, is best explained by an aging drifter who walks through a Parisian park saying that sometimes the... French director Laurent Firode presents this filmic oddity, which explores the idea--and the effects--of chaos theory over the course of one day in Paris. The concept, as treated in the film, is best explained by an aging drifter who walks through a Parisian park saying that sometimes the most random, stupid act can alter the course of the world. He goes on to say that something as minor as the batting of a butterfly's wings over the Atlantic can cause a hurricane over the Pacific. (This is an explanation of the French title, which translates to "The Batting of the Wings of a Butterfly.") In short, all things are intrinsically connected. And in this film, the tiniest action performed by one character triggers a series of events that eventually impact another character. There is a broad cross-section of over 20 extremely quirky characters in the film, all of whom are deeply superstitious and believe strongly in fate, which enhances the comedy, surprise, and strangeness of each new scenario. Granny gives Luc some fresh-baked macaroons, and tells him not to tell his mother. He tells his mother, who steals the tin, tastes a cookie, and throws it out the window. A pigeon eats it, then flies across the city and poops directly onto a photograph taken by some Russian tourists, who go into a photo shop, asking the salesgirl to fix it. When the girl in the shop tries to clean off the photo, she realizes that the man in the picture is her long-lost love, who she has not seen in ten years. HAPPENSTANCE drifts, careens, floats, and sometimes zooms around the city of Paris, sneaking in and out of the daily lives of its subjects, uncovering with each passing moment a new and entirely bizarre example of destiny. [More]
Genre: Dramas
Starring: Faudel, Audrey Tautou, Eric Savin, Eric Feldman, Irene Ismailoff
Screenwriter: Laurent Firode
Producer: Anne-Dominique Toussaint, Pasqual Judelwicz
Reviews
A gimmicky yet remarkably spry and overall enjoyable tapestry about the 'random interconnectedness' of life in general and romance in particular.
Discreet, delicate and humane: a sweet butterfly of a movie that beats up a cinematic windstorm of life.
A mild but engaging romance, the charms of which come at you sideways.
It strives mightily to convince us that the Chaos Theory rules us, yet everything in it feels preordained.
The idea, after all, is that people don't have free will, and who wants to watch puppets, however adorable?
Each little action, as we see, causes something bigger to happen, resulting in not exactly a tidal wave, but a happy sense of cinematic pleasure.
It's a delight to watch the plot unfold, and to become aware of how a small, random action by one person can impact the life of another.
It's charmless and as against the gentle grain of the New Wave French comedies of the past few years as it's conceivable to be.
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by: sgrsmks 10/1/01


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