MovieChat Forums > Casse-tête chinois (2014) Discussion > Klapisch's Trilogy Is A Slam Against Glo...

Klapisch's Trilogy Is A Slam Against Globalization !!!

posted 9 years ago by JoeKulik
1 reply | jump to latest

Cedric Klapisch's French cinematic trilogy, Spanish Apartment, Russian Dolls, & Chinese Puzzle, together deliver a not so subtle slam against globalization. The lives of Xavier, the protagonist in all 3 films, & the people around him are beneficiaries of 21 Century globalization in terms of computer tech, communications, inexpensive world travel, & job opportunities, but their lives are generally shown to a chaotic mess. It is true that while Xavier & Martine start out as a typical traditional young Parisian couple &, after a 2 decade hiatus, end up finally together at age 40, this "happy ending" comes with a heavy cost. Between them they have 5 kids, none of whom they conceived together. Although the apartment in Barcelona Spain looked like a Pan-European assemblage, in reality, none of these people had anything really in common except that they attended the same school Otherwise, their lives were adrift in different directions. Although thru out all 3 films no character gives an explicit anti-globalization pronouncement, the pronouncement is subtly given at all points in the trilogy thru the non-traditional life choices of all the main characters "imposed" upon them by globalization & the ensuing chaos in their lives, chaos brought on by non-traditional marital partners, non-traditional lifestyles, the breakdown of the nuclear family, non-harmonious interactions with foreign cultures & such. But this heavy handed criticism of the effects of globalization on the individual is delivered thru a sophisticated, light comedic-drama that has high artistic & technical merit. The editing of scenes thru out the trilogy was particularly innovative & the cinematography was superb. The acting by all the players thru out the trilogy was very good. At a certain level, the trilogy is a tongue in cheek Spoof of 21st Century life that is very well executed & has high entertainment value. 20 Stars !! 20 Stars !! 20 Stars !!

[–] feodoric 9 years ago

Nice idea, William, but I think you should stick to Elizabethan play writing...

If you remember the first part of this triptych, Xavier concludes the episode - his first, hands-on experience with globalization (thanks to Erasmus)- by saying that it's overall a good thing. Complicated, messy, disheveled, like Europe. And he clearly says it's a good thing, because it's closer to what life really is. He's satisfied overall about his Barcelonan experience. He survived it, he made significant acquaintances, learnt a lot about life and about himself: in short, he grew up and knows what the expression c'est une véritable auberge espagnole ici means!

On the contrary, instead of a negative message on globalization, I saw the trilogy more like a eulogy to it. One might answer this by saying it's only a matter of perspective, you see, and he/she may be right, because who can tell what the future holds for Xavier? We are strongly inclined to think of the series as a trilogy, but I'm not sure it will stop here. The ending is too easy, too cliché to be believable, and I doubt that Klapisch is corny enough to believe in it... which is why I can't say that this is the end of Xavier's life story, romantically speaking. Does anyone believe that Martine will now better accept Xavier's idiosyncrasies this time? I didn't detect that "spark" that might forecast a lifetime of happiness between Xavier and Martine, either in the first or the last episode. Xavier acts like an opportunist all the time. In the Casse-tête chinois, Martine seemed more at peace with herself and with Xavier, but we are witnessing stupid behavior on Xavier's part again and again... The only difference is that he's acting haphazardly in New York City rather than in Barcelona or Paris.

I like the trilogy and I think it's among the most endearing episodic story suites of recent cinema, and it's a splendid evasion to a world of fantasy accompanied with realistic characters with some, but not too much substance: just enough to avoid turning the story to a farce. If there is any "message" (which I don't think: it's as light a comedy as it gets) in it, it might go like this: life is a mess, don't try to fix it, but instead use it to your advantage. A very Darwinian one: if you don't do what's necessary to go get the chick, a larger, more aggressive male will do it instead of you. So stop telling stories to yourself and ... carpe diem!!

Is it safe? What is safe? Is it safe? Yes, very safe? Is it safe? No, not at all! Is it safe? Aaahh!