This was a movie I had to watch for a French culture class (of which I am actually cramming at the moment, and am churning out this review ASAP!)...
It is a bit satirical, but since I am really completely ignorant of French/Belgian history/culture/issues (yes, I suppose I am an ethnocentric, pig-headed américaine), I at first thought "The Wall" represented a TRUE wall that was erected à la the Berlin Wall.
"le mur" tells the story of a Walloon (French-speaking person in Belgium) man named Albert (Daniel Hanssens) who runs a fish and chips cart/stand that sits right on the border of Belgian Wallonia and Flanders--two (basically) warring factions within Belgium. The Flemish speak Dutch and the Walloons speak French, and they do not like each other!!
The female lead (Pascale Bal) resembles a Linda Evangelista/Milla Jovovitch-type look. She plays Wendy, a pretty, flirty, confident sort of free spirit.
The meet at a New Year's Eve Party and somehow fall in love.
The following events that transpire make up the reason behind the title.
I do not quite know what to make of the opening sequence between a man and woman that resemble (well, the actors are the same) Albert and Wendy--and they are a Walloon and a Flemish girl.
It seems that much of the movie could realistically be happening in Albert's head.
The military or the special squadron of "round-up" thugs are so power-trippy that they are reminiscent of Draco Malfoy and the Inquisitorial Squad in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. (Perhaps the way the Gestapo were in Nazi Germany)
Like Clive Owen's character says in "Shoot 'Em Up"--"I hate a pussy with a gun." or something along those lines.
Sorry.
Not to go off on a random tangent (And if you haven't seen "Shoot 'Em Up," WATCH IT!).
And that makes me think of WHAT HAS CLIVE OWEN BEEN UP TO LATELY??
More on that later (I'll post once I find out) (o;
BUT--"Le Mur" is interesting and has its comical moments. I think the movie is there as a message, but also there to entertain.
I enjoyed it, but it probably won't make it on my Top 10 List.
Overall, it gets a B/B- from me. (maybe closer to a 78%~81%, if that helps)
Enjoy!
[the following link may not work in a month's time, but I won't know till then... Hopefully it still works by the time somebody reads this!!]
LE MUR scroll down the list
Also listed are "Germinal" and "Michou d'Auber" which star everybody's favorite French actor---Gerard Depardieu.
Well, let's see... Jean Reno and Marion Cotillard are a couple of other names...
Another movie I'd like to check out (and have yet to do so completely) is the Canadian/American movie "Bon Cop, Bad Cop." When I was still taking French classes at De Anza College, we had some projects we had to do and one of the ladies in the class showed us the difference in accent between Canadian French and French French. It looked pretty funny from what we saw in class.
I also urge you to check out "Persepolis," another engaging and delightful French film.
I have yet to check out "The Triplets of Belleville" but will let you all know how that goes...
There are just SO MANY films!!
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