Release: 1967
Director: Jacque Tati
Starring: Jacque Tati
Runtime: 127 min
On his way to an important meeting in a futuristic, hyper-consumerist version of Paris, bumbling Monsieur Hurlot soon finds himself lost inside of a complex, multileveled building and eventually among the streets of the city at night, meanwhile crossing paths with an American tourist as she explores the city on a tour.
Writing & Direction 5/5
Being his fourth feature film, and deservedly being regarded by many critics as one of the greatest films ever made, comedy actor/director Jacque Tati has complete control over every scenario and executes his vision of hilarity with masterful precision. The simple, almost non-existent plot is easy to follow, but yet this is not a film to watch for the plot, but for the blink-and-and-you’ll-miss-it sight gags packed into every frame. It does an excellent job of placing the audience in Hurlot’s shoes; you are just as lost as he is, in all of the details of each scene. But it doesn’t make you feel lost in a bad way, as Tati’s overall message is a commentary on how busy modern life is, and that message does come across but he doesn’t beat you over the head with it.
Not all scenes are packed with details, as there are some gags where Tati directs your attention to exactly where he wants you to look. These moments are well paced, in that they build off of each other, rewarding you for paying attention, as certain characters or gags are mirrored in later scenes. These repeated visuals help add to that sense of being lost, because it all looks familiar but at the same time it’s different. It’s not a hopeless sort of feeling lost, but rather, it’s like being stuck in a fun house in the shape of a massive corporate building.
Acting 5/5
Tati’s films are mostly diegetic, meaning the sounds and dialogue are part of the world of the film. It all feels very natural and helps make the character of Hurlot stick out even more. Being adept at physical comedy, Tati uses his long, gangly frame to his advantage. The bouncing, apologetic gait of Hurlot carries him through the scenes as he unintentionally intrudes onto the paths of the people around him. The entire, mostly nameless cast handle themselves well as Tati moves them around his giant shuffleboard of a set. It’s all a gleeful cacophony of mishaps as the climax begins at an upscale restaurant that is barely done with construction, and that’s when the real confusion begins. The whole set becomes a string of jokes with pieces of the interior falling apart, tiles sticking to peoples feet, an under prepared wait staff keeping track of orders in the swamp of the crowd as people suddenly show up, both invited and uninvited; the chaos is an interesting parallel for the corporate tidiness that occupied the scenery of the film up to that point.
Overall 5/5
Playtime is exactly that; a time for play. What it lacks in depth of plot, it makes up for in depth of playful business on screen. I strongly recommend it for anyone who wants a feast for the eyes and a great laugh.
TL;DR
+Densely packed sight gags across the film
+Masterfully comedic directing and acting from Jacque Tati
+Effective metaphor for the conflict between busy corporate life and the natural human condition
-Lack of plot may be hard to follow