I was hooked on this after 10 minutes of watching it while wondering what is it? Actually after that time I didn't care, I just wanted more of it! John-Paul Davidson and Stephen Warbeck were holding me tight in their artistic hands and didn't let me go... not that I wanted!
Made in a magnificent manner - full of nostalgia and love for life, this film about a man with a hat traveling through the rural districts of southeastern France in the summer, will satisfy all your senses. Reaching a great climax of scenic views incorporating peculiarities and serendipitous ways of life, the directing duo reminded me of Jacques Tati!
Captivating music, astonishing cinematography, fantastic acting, fascinating directing... Do not miss it if you love an incredible artistic film!
100% - Critics
77% - Audience
6.4Plot summary
Seemingly content but introspective at the same time in his solitude, a man is dining alone at an isolated and otherwise empty marinaside café on the French coast when he sees five bald men in a rebuilt orange and blue Citroën Dyane dump what appears to be a dead body wrapped and tied up in a plastic sheath into the water. As they approach him with the possible intent of doing him harm for what he saw them do, he is able to abscond without they seeing where he went. In his subsequent getaway, the man drives off in his blue Fiat 500 with two of his seeming most cherished possession, his fedora hat and a framed black and white photograph of a woman. As he tries to evade the men in the Citroën who are closely following him at every turn as they both travel through the French countryside, he is a secret interloper in the unusual lives of some of the people he encounters, whereas he is more involved in the equally unusual lives of a number of other people he encounters over and over, such as a bearded man he first meets down by the river, a woman on a bicycle, and a male/female pair of road surveyors, all the while still being able to indulge in the culinary delights of France. As their collective journeys continue, the question becomes if all is as it appears on the surface, especially concerning the pursuit by the five bald men in the Citroën of the man in the Fiat.
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Close to perfection...
who, what, why?
Greetings again from the darkness. Who is the woman in the picture? What did the five men toss in the river? Why are those men chasing the man in the hat? Why is that other man wet? If the man in the hat is running from the five men, why does he keep running into the same people? What are those two measuring now? Why doesn't anyone (ok, almost no one) speak? Why are there so many questions, and why, by the end, do we not care that most go unanswered?
John-Paul Davidson, known mostly as a travel documentarian, and Stephen Warbeck, an Oscar-winning composer, have teamed up as co-directors and co-writers to deliver an unusual and whimsical road trip movie that tips a cap to the silent comedy films of yesteryear. Adding to the unusual elements is Ciaran Hinds starring as the titular man in the hat. Mr. Hinds is a long-time terrific actor, but not one we think of for jocular comedies requiring exaggerated facial expressions, physical pratfalls, and squeezing into a tiny Fiat for a back roads drive through rural France.
As the film opens, the man in the hat spends the day sharing a table with the woman's photo at a charming riverside café. That evening, while still seated at the table, he witnesses 5 grown men pile out of a clown car Citroen and dump what appears to be a body into the river. The man escapes with the framed photo and one of the film's recurring gags is the close calls he has with the five men as they drive through the countryside. The film plays a bit like Homer's Odyssey in that the only real story occurs as the man interacts with various folks he meets along the way. The Damp Man is played by the always interesting Stephen Dillane, and a lovely woman on a bicycle who exchanges flirtations with hat man is played by Sasha Hails.
Among the strange and wacky paths that cross are a couple of onion-chomping geezers who fix his car, a cluster of singing female mechanics, a solo French biker, and a pair of city workers with a measuring tape and eyes for each other. Music plays a huge role here, which is not surprising given the presence of Mr. Warbeck. Not only does the accompanying music feature an unusual and varied blend of music types, but we also see and hear many local musicians, including Mathilda Homer. And for the finale, music again plays a role, bringing things full circle.
Coming up with a comparison movie is not easy, though one description could be director Michael Winterbottom's "The Trip" franchise ... if Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon were not allowed to speak! This isn't a laugh out loud type of comedy, rather it's mostly just pleasant and odd. For a drive through rural France or a chance to watch Ciaran Hinds chase his shoe down a drain, this bizarre little ditty from Davidson and Warbeck will work just fine.
In theaters and on demand on May 14, 2021.
What a gem
I think I'll find it impossible to adequately describe this film and do it justice. Just make sure you see it and enjoy a quirky, charming, touching film that will stay with you. I will be on a ferry to France the moment we are free of this awful pandemic, albeit in a more reliable car. Brilliant, well done guys.