MovieChat Forums > Odete (2005) Discussion > I missed the finale of 24, for THIS!?

I missed the finale of 24, for THIS!?

posted 18 years ago by oilgun
6 replies | jump to latest

Actually I didn't miss it, I have time shifting.

I saw Odete tonight as part of InsideOut the Toronto LGBT film festival. I was looking forward to it because I really enjoyed O fantasma.
The budget was obviously higher for this film and it showed, it was beautiful to look at. The big problem is Odete herself. The character is just plain nuts (in the French film tradition) so it's hard to give a damn about her. The film feels like it was made by the love child of Almodovar and Aki Kaurismaki. It has the melodrama of one and the deadpan humour of the other. I didn't hate it. Everyone was easy on the eyes. The strangely fawn-like Odete is a cross between Victoria Abril and Liv Tyler. Unfortunately she's not a good actress. The boyfriends are very cute and sexy and give good performances. The audience, I suspect inappropriately, laughed throughout. At the end there was some booing mixed in with some applause. Torontonians will applaud anything just out of politeness but booing is almost unheard of here. Interesting reactions.

[–] Tyler_Durden_pt 18 years ago

When I watched it here in Lisbon, people in the theatre laughed throughout and especially after the final scene. I tried not to laugh during the film, but that final scene was so ridiculous I had to join in the laughing.

This... is chemical burn.

[–] oilgun 18 years ago

Thanks for the reply Tyler Durden pt. I tried not to laugh as well (at least not derisively) but than I thought maybe it is a comedy and we are meant to laugh? I wish the director had been in attendance to answer that questions. Over twenty percent of the voters on IMDb rated it a 10 so some people got a lot more out of it than I did, I gave it a six.

[–] Tyler_Durden_pt 18 years ago

I don't think we were meant to laugh. The tone is completely drama. The film does have some interesting aspects and some good ideas, but as an overall work, it's very poor.

This... is chemical burn.

[–] gunscantkill 17 years ago

i thought it was a very good film. one of the best i've seen lately. but i do think we're meant to laugh. i did and i still apreciated the dramatic aspects. somewhat black comedy but still very poignant. on the topic of Odete herself not being very likeable i completly disagree. just cause she was wicked bonkers (which, no doubt, she was) doesn't mean she was unlikeable at all.

[–] Tyler_Durden_pt 17 years ago

I find it hard to frame this film as a comedy... If the last scene is supposed to be funny, then it fails to fit in the film in any way.

Anyway, I'm pretty sure the people in the room were laughing because they thought the scene was ridiculous, not because they thought it was funny. There's a difference. All this unless, of course, the whole film is a hip post-modern campy in-joke by the filmmaker, which would be even worse to start with.

Last film watched:
LA Confidential by Curtis Hanson - 9/10

[–] Bgb217 16 years ago

My bf and I were laughing hysterically.
Because of the ridiculousness of it.

-Bryan