A painter of mature years embarks on a journey into his own psyche by prowling the fringes of Parisian society, opening up a vivid world of struggle and degradation, but also beauty and liberty. David is sympathetic and approachable; he is not deterred by the tough exterior or the harsh comments of the prostitutes and transexuals he encounters.
Instead, David finds renewed inspiration and a resurgent artistic vitality through his interactions, which are played out in an elliptical and expressionist style. At various points in the film I also felt a cinematic connection with Almodovar, Warhol and John Waters, surely a good sign on all three counts.
The film's title derives from an exchange toward the end, where a character asks where horses go to die, to which the sardonic response is "the abattoir." Despite their hardships, the inhabitants of Hickling's world are clearly heading in the opposite direction, extracting a flawed glamour from their unforgiving environment.
Bonus points: the excellent soundtrack also has a commercial release.
