On C List of Movie Reviews
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C'est arrivé près de chez vous (1992)
Rate:
9
Viewed:
12/13, 11/17
12/13:
It's been years since I saw a daring, original picture, and this time, it's called C'est arrivé près de chez vous which
is better known as Man Bites Dog.
Thanks to Benoît Poelvoorde's arresting Oscar-worthy performance, it's also among most compelling movies I've ever seen.
A one-man tour de force, he's charming, likeable, and manipulative. The style is akin to
Reservoir Dogs,
Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, and
This Is Spinal Tap all rolled into one.
Michael Rooker's Henry is an unsmiling psychopath with a myopic view of how world is while Ben is a fun-loving psychopath with
a wide-ranging array of tastes. Endlessly talkative, he's also knowledgeable, philosophical, and worldly in many areas through
situational analysis. Yet both characters are alike because they kill without compunction and it's just another day to them.
The Spinal Tap technique is effective because it's interesting to see how the filmmakers are being slowly
manipulated, minute by minute, into Ben's world by helping him dispose of dead bodies, clean up the mess, and participate
in crimes. During this process, they've become accessories to the fact by going along with his actions because
they think he's funny and cool which makes things pretty weird, hence the intrepidity of the premise.
Unfortunately, the film drags a bit during the second half, losing some momentum and thus causing me to be unsure if it deserves a
'10'. However, it does manage to survive by turning the tables as if karma will bite on Ben's ass.
All in all, think what you want, but there's no question that C'est arrivé près de chez vous is a unique film.
11/17:
If I can think of a disturbing film that works well on many levels, it's C'est arrivé près de chez vous aka
Man Bites Dog.
The most compelling character of the mockumentary is Ben who's excellently played by the Belgian actor Benoît Poelvoorde. A
tour de force, he's impossible to look past however arrogant, sociopathic, and detectable he can be. His character is
charming and smart for a minute and will then turn on a dime by killing people without any thought.
Having given the film a '10' last time, I've decided to drop a point in the rating for being slow at times, and it feels somewhat dated by now.
Nonetheless, it's still a daring picture that pushes the boundaries of violence on screen.
All in all, C'est arrivé près de chez vous makes for an arresting viewing.