MovieChat Forums > Le voyage du ballon rouge (2008) Discussion > A Wasted Idea

A Wasted Idea

posted 16 years ago by elsbet5
4 replies | jump to latest

I love the premise of this movie - that you're sort of pulling back the curtains to watch these people go about their ordinary lives, especially as it's set in Paris. But come on! If I had pulled back the curtains on these people I would have, in about 20 minutes, moved on to the next window! What a wasted idea this was. The concept is fantastic! But the characters are boring at best, irritating at worst. It's as if the writer went out of his way to deprive these people of interesting lives. In reality most people, even the most regular of people, have an interesting story to tell.

I am so disappointed, it could have been magnificent.

[–] jasongrimshaw 16 years ago

I disagree, I found it fascinating, melancholic and above all stimulating in a way few films manage. Mr Hou is a master of space and time and subtly uses symbolism in a very beautiful way. His characters seem real to me in away no coventionally written characters do. It is in the banal that this comes to life and feeds the soul in a way few other films manage.

[–] 16 years ago

[deleted]

[–] badgersdrift-2 15 years ago

I agree with everything you've said. Very disappointing.

[–] chicago85 13 years ago

I enjoyed the slice of life look at a Paris household. The long puppet performance got on my nerves. Cut them down as much as possible shortning the movie and I would have liked it more.

Yes, I know the puppet stuff was an integral reason for the movie. But I don't care. They were almost as irritating as mimes.