Alegria

I never knew a movie about one of the Cirque du Soleil's best circus acts was given a motion picture adaptation. I felt like a child again, immortalized by watching this movie, couldn't resist its wonder. Previous credits give it 10 out of 10, I must agree with them.

As of Gullieta, I thought French actress Vanessa Paradis played her, like it was one of her first roles ever, but it turns out to be a British actress called Julie Cox, don't know her much. All actors in this movie, I don't know, its the first time I'm amazed from viewing an indy film.

Back in 1998, when it must have come out, I went to see Saltimbanco in Ottawa with my teachers and classmates of elementary school. The ending scene reminded of that first time at the Cirque du Soleil !

The breathtaking imagery and vibrant characters of Alegria the live show are abandoned by its director, Franco Dragone, who misguidedly reinvents it from the ground up for this movie. The result is NOT Alegria (only tantalizing, tiny glimpses of the live experience are seen). Instead a clumsy "story" is grafted on to its delicate artistry, set in an unconvincing "real" world which blurs rather than expands the boundaries of Cirque Du Soleil. By introducing new characters far less compelling than the original stage stars (what must they have made of this betrayal?), Dragone seems to have decided to "explain" Alegria's purpose. This is like explaining a joke - the result falls flat, its poetry and clarity of purpose are muddied - or worse, articulated by characters not so much conversing as making speeches to each other. Thus the skills of a mime of genius like Rene Bazinet are fatally compromised. One of the strengths of the show Alegria was that its language was that of athletic and balletic grace, exquisite mime and haunting music. There was no dialogue, which freed it from political boundaries. This is why the show was a huge international hit and this movie was not. Here the engaging grotesques are firmly separated from ourselves, the audience. The twilight magical world we thought they occupied is revealed to be the cheap side of town. They speak dialogue with little wit or poetry. There is a half hearted attempt to design a skewed reality outside the Big Top but the magic is overwhelmed by a welter of bad ideas and sugary emotion and lovers of Alegria the show are underwhelmed as a result. Truly this should not have been released

I saw this movie by accident. After only seeing about half of it, I didn't rest until I found a copy. I don't know much about the Cirque du Soleil, but this film is absolutely beautiful. It's poignant, intense, and above all, just plain good. It's a simple story set against a decidedly different backdrop. It's a good date movie, and one that I would watch over and over again. Perhaps the most incredible thing about the move is Jean Bazinet, who plays the lead. He is absolutely astounding as Frac, the mime. Enough of my words. They don't do this film justice.

Before buying this movie, I read everything I could to see if it was worth it. This is not a filming of the stage version of Alegria, this is a movie that was originally built around it and then took a very different direction. If you are looking for "standard Cirque," this is not the place to find it. Cirque du Soleil often goes beyond fans' expectations, and this is one more case. The movie is well done, though not appropriate for very young children. It is a simple love story, but with dark undertones. Rene Bazinet is excellent in the part of Frac, which was written for him. Julie Cox is decent as Giulietta, though I found her a bit flat. And Clipper Miano IS Momo. The movie alone would be 3 out of 4 stars, but with the DVD extras I give it 3 3/4 out of 4. (I love behind-the-scenes stuff).

If you are looking for the spectacle normally associated with the Cirque, bypass this movie. If, however, you are open to the Cirque reinventing itself yet again, this time on film, give this movie a try. It's different, and therefore it isn't for everybody. But it worked for me.

As a caveat, this movie is not for everyone. It is a fable, a mix of fantasy and reality that adds more than both combined. However, because of this experimentation, those expecting either a Hollywood style plot or a capture of the live show will be sorely disappointed. It is a movie of metaphors. Beautiful, haunting metaphors that light up your life.

This movie would have done far better in Europe. It takes incredible risks, and succeeds admirably. It is magnificently creative, brings hidden messages out without being at all pedantic, and brings a sense of pure play. The film is put together with technical brilliance. I'd recommend it to anyone with artistic or expressive tendencies. It's also great for children. However, those not in these categories will likely not appreciate the movie at all.