That Day (2003)

This is by far the best absurdistic film I have seen in a long time. It reminds me of Godard's Pierrot le fou (1965), but it has a real be it absolutely insane coherent plot and it is not a road movie. Luis Buñuel springs also to mind. There is for instance a scene reminiscent of the horror of 'the last supper scene' in Viridiana and of the famous scene around the table in The secret charms of the bourgeoisie.

The combination of black comedy, crime, even horror, religion and superstition, politics and global economy gives the film so many layers of meaning that they are hard to grasp in one big scoop.

And I forget psychology (various kinds of insanity, the effects of blackmail, the workings of gossip) and the mythology of redeeming love and loyalty.

But above all, it is a funny film. Funny in its actions, including the sudden position reversal of mortal combatants, funny in its dialogs (one-liners, huge understatements), funny in the juxtaposition of horror and the most mundane everyday life. It is full of the unexpected, surprises galore, and full of subtle and not so subtle hints that keep the viewer alert. It also has a happy rhythm of wild action and serene stills.

Do not expect the wallowing in blood of Quentin Tarantino's Killing Bill. Ce jour-là is a much lighter film and it is not one-dimensional, thanks to the already mentioned surfeit of connotations.

May I add that it is also a moral tale with a happy ending? And it ridicules the Swiss: Alain Tanner with a vengeance.