Based on Boris Vian’s surrealist novel “L’Écume des jours” (known in English as both “Froth on the Daydream” and “Foam of the Daze”), the film adaptation “Mood Indigo” is an exhibition of director Michel Gondry’s prowess with visual effects. In “Mood Indigo,” nothing is concrete or static. Sunlight is strummed like cello strings, doorbells skitter across walls and floors, dancers’ legs elongate to eerie proportions and food whorls like a kaleidoscope.
The absurdist imagery is captivating, but it can quickly become tiring for even the most enduring of experimental film fans. Furthermore, the movie’s unprecedented exploitation of visual effects dwarves any emotional build and fails to develop the clear social critique found within the book. That said, Gondry’s whimsical stylization makes “Mood Indigo” unforgettable.
The movie opens with Colin (Romain Duris), a wealthy Parisian bachelor, readying himself for breakfast at his apartment with his friend Chick (Gad Elmaleh). Colin’s manservant and friend Nicolas (Omar Sy), who routinely cooks for Colin to help unwind from the stresses of being a lawyer, prepares the two an extravagant breakfast, which no one eats and is unceremoniously discarded onto the floor. Whilst talking with Chick and Nicolas, Colin discovers they have both developed love lives and promptly exclaims, “I demand to fall in love too!” Soon after, he meets Chloé (Audrey Tautou, famous for her lead role in Amélie), and after a handful of quirky dates, the two fall in love. Tragedy befalls Chloé, however, and the sunny daydream of Colin’s life becomes a waking nightmare.
The characters in this movie are fun if predominantly one-dimensional. Character development and dialogue was sacrificed in an effort to ensure that each scene was brimming with visual wonderment. As such, when the movie turns dark, I did not feel enough of a connection with Colin, Chloé, Chick or Alise (Aïssa Maïga) to empathize with their struggles. This was particularly the case with the Jean–Sol Parte (spoonerism for existentialist Jean–Paul Sarte) fanatic Chick and his fiancé Alise’s storyline, which ends with calamity reminiscent of a Greek tragedy.
Not only did the film fail to get me emotionally invested in its characters, it also failed to elucidate the social critique of classism within the book. This made the disastrous ending feel meaningless, and without a clear moral, I interpreted the movie’s meaning to be about the futility of life and the fleeting nature of happiness.
Despite its shortcomings, “Mood Indigo” is entertaining. I doubt I will ever forget the hypnotic scene where everyone dances the Biglemoi to Duke Ellington’s “Chloe” (Boris Vian’s relationship with Duke Ellington inspired the film’s name, which is a tribute to one of Duke Ellington’s most famous songs), or the scene where Chloé and Colin soar over Paris in a cloud car lifted by a crane.
I recommend “Mood Indigo” to anyone who is excited by the idea of absurdist film, to French speakers who will catch the wordplay in the film and to aspiring filmmakers interested in seeing product of a true auteur. “Mood Indigo” is playing at the Tower Theatre (900 South 876 East).
@ChronyArts