-Lisa Nesselson, VARIETY
"SITCOM is a clever little movie that demonstrates the advantages and limitations of cleverness alone."
-Mick LaSalle, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
"SITCOM, which is sardonically filmed with the snappy look of a television comedy, has a sour streak that eventually poisons its humor. Mr. Ozon pushed the limits of shock value much more effectively with the carefully measured violence of SEE THE SEA than he does with this frontal assault."
-Janet Maslin, NEW YORK TIMES
This was something really different from the films we’ve been seeing, it’s almost difficult I think to put in with some of the other screenings. But, strangely enough, I had a really good time watching this movie. What I found most interesting about this particular Ozon film is how amidst all this satire and absurdist comedy the real cracks behind a seemingly perfect family explode onto the surface with the entrance of a “rat.” It just seems like such an intricate plot device (I find it somewhat “meta” evoking some of things we’ve seen Haneke do). And it’s also nice to see how unguarded Ozon appears – never backing away from what might be considered “too much.” In fact, the over-the-topness of the whole thing is oddly what I find most respectable about it (I think any other director would have shied away from such an ending). I’m starting to see that Ozon is somewhat of a polemic auteur – because I could never imagine someone telling me that the guy who made this film also made “Regarde La Mer.” I think that film demonstrates Ozon’s capabilities using restraint, while “Sitcom” shows just what Ozon can do with a larger canvas and a boundless imagination. In a way, I’ reminded to some of the early works I saw of his – the likes of “Victor” (one of my favorite short films) and “A Summer Dress” – funny and absurd and dark and strangely (very strangely) human.
ReplyDeleteSitcom was actually a really funny movie, which is a comment I haven't had the chance to say in this class yet. The play on the different stereotypes and the reversal of expectations was witty and a delight to watch coming off of Irreversible. Marina De Van makes a terrible blonde, but a great paraplegic. It was also nice to see one of the extreme films have a happy ending. The only thing in the film that caused me to have any sort of discomfort was the rat eating scene, but I saw that coming as soon as they pointed out the microwave at the beginning of the film - ick. There was also this great freedom that was given to each character that allowed them to play out their fantasies - not matter how perverse - and there seemed to be little to no consequences that couldn't be taken care of by killing a giant rat. Speaking of the giant rat, that was some bad puppet making. I am glad that Sophie got to actually stab RatDad, especially after he told his daughter was wasn't pretty. I feel like I have become desensitized in this class, because many of the things that would have previously caused be to cringe I now just assume are going to happen. Pedophile, incest, S&M: it's just another day in CMP 407.
ReplyDeleteFrancois Ozon always seems to surprise me, which is a lot to say about a director. A typical director seems to get caught in a particular style so the audience knows what to expect when entering one of their films. With Ozon, I never seem to know what the hell he is going to do next. In Sitcom, we are presented with a comedy about a typical nuclear family who begins to crack after the introduction of a pet rat. I just thought it was so funny how a little rat can cause all of these problems. At first I thought the film was alright. It had its funny moments but the ending left a bad taste in my mouth. I thought the killing of the giant rat was just too much and Ozon went off the deep end. After a few days ,I realized, meh it's a comedy and comedies should be over the top and ridiculous. Like all of the films in this class, except Baise Moi, it was shot beautifully. The opening long shot with the car and hearing the father kill everyone was breathtaking. I feel with all of these films I always leave the theatre amazed at one or more shots. In the end, I thought this was a fun film, much needed after the month long rape section.
ReplyDeleteI really liked the short film we watched before Sitcom. It was cool to imagine Ozon proposing this eccentric murder story to his family without them actually fearing for their son's sanity or their own safety. Sitcom was perhaps one of the most "enjoyable" films of the semester since this was perhaps the most comedic (and not just because Marina de Van was blonde). I liked how the beginning opened up with the sounds of the murder (which turns out just to be a dream later on!) I liked how the rat in the cage tied everything and everyone together, and I understand the symbolism of the dad turning into the rat, however, that scene was just a little too over the top for me. Either way, I did like how they killed the Dad because he was really annoying throughout the whole movie. Also, I found it interesting that with all of the violence and gore and explicit sex we have seen in this class, the incest stuff is what bothers me the most. All in all, this was an enjoyable, cynical, well done movie.
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