Holy Motors
What is an actor and what do they do? A lot of people seem to think that an actor is a puppet, comes swanning onto sets, kicks up a massive fuss and leaves to enjoy red carpet goodness and gala luncheons. Some people see them, believing that they do little work and laud themselves over us labourers (although, I’m not.) Actually, I’ve always believed that actors don’t get as much credit for the hours they have to spend, in character, in costume and they are belligerently badgered with actions or special effects. And some immerse themselves in this characters, playing for everyone’s entertainment and give all of their soul (and sometimes, not coming back.)
This Franco-German film from 2012 alludes to the truly immersive aspects of an actor’s life in a wonderfully bonkers way. It revolves around Oscar, a character actor who spends his days living out tableaus with different people and living these events. On the list, there is a red headed maniac who kidnaps a model, a father and daughter arguing, an old man dying and a re-enactment of a musical. Alongside actresses such as Eva Mendes and Kylie Minogue, Holy Motors is a far out yet haunting film that takes a long time to swallow.
Directed by Leos Carax in his first feature since 1999, this surreal movie bombards you with this beautiful, if sometimes disturbing, vignettes that happily flow into one another. Holy Motors is relentless with its barrage of imagery and they come bounding down on screen. The onslaught of the creations that Oscar appropriates are heinously clever and the way he moulds into different slices of life. Carax levels an engrossing story with a reality of weirdness and though you may feel confused momentarily, (and there are questions you simply don’t get answered) you are instantly captivated by the colours. The bewilderment is the exact emotion you are supposed to be feeling when you watch it but there is a pulsating wild heart underneath it and on this strange level, it really works.
At the centre of Holy Motors is Oscar and he is played unforgettably by French actor Denis Lavant. It’s his performance that centres this movie into a compelling treat. Able to emotionally layer the character juxtaposed against the cinematic insanity is a terrific feat. He moulds into this different characters and it is pretty much his vehicle for how honestly talented he is. Lavant exudes the silliness and the visceral content too, and his powerful disaplay of morphing into different people (sometimes effortlessly too) is absolutely perfect to watch. The lead role is intense great and with others as mere parts in his display, this is Lavant’s show.
I think critic Eric D Snieder put it the best way “It is gratifying to discover that mankind is still capable of finding new ways of being weird.” And that’s true. It’s not keeping to the norms, rigid against stuffy filmmaking. Carax exudes this defying brilliance and it is glorious to behold. Holy Motors will etch into your mind long after viewing, and isn’t that what cinema should be?