Un 32 août sur terre

I've watched all his mainstream films, but they were too good to understand in every aspect, especially the deep hidden meanings beyond those spectacular visuals, stunning cinematography as in BLADE RUNNER 2049, actions in SICARIO, and emotional and dramatic thrills in INCENDIES and PRISONERS. But after watching a small and mediocre films as this, now I understand why Villeneuve is special. He made full use of one accident scene and all the desert scenes making the film look almost as beautiful as car chasing scenes in THE DARK KNIGHT and the space sequences in GRAVITY, INTERSTELLAR, etc respectively. He managed to give an average script a direction which is more than extraordinarily.

Also the performances of both leads were great. The cab driver subplot also had a promising thriller content, which could've been more useful if the film had been a thriller.

Overall, beautiful direction and great performances make this mediocre story to be more than one time watch. 7/10 (6 for script, 8 for acting, 9 for direction )

I'm here just to say it's qualified to be among the best ones, deserves watching more than once,and the director is very promising, for it's his debut.

The reality is so ridiculous and unreasonable, we have to accept it as it is.Fortunately, we still have love to warm us and protect us from the coldness and cruelty.

which needs to be added,the leading actress Pascale is nearly perfect,I also got a glimpse of her in Five Senses.I hope I can see her in When Night is Falling someday.

Simone (Pascale Bussières) is a young Canadian fashion model who is on the brink of a brilliant career. But this bright future could be thwarted due to a serious car accident of which she miraculously survives. In the aftermath, she decides to put an end to her professional life and becomes obsessed with the idea to have a baby. So, she persuades her best friend, Philippe (Alexis Martin) to act with and for her and the latter accepts provided they do it in the desert. A few days later, they are in this silent, eerie place...

"Un 32 Août Sur Terre" is a curious work that will puzzle a good proportion of viewers. It reminded me a lot of "Twentynine Palms" (2003) by Bruno Dumont although this film is posterior to Denis Villeneuve's film. This was also a film set in an ominous, desert place and in which evolved two tortured characters. They had (wild) sex there and they were surrounded by an unforgiving humanity. In a way, humanity isn't also very gentle to Simone and Philippe in this film: the taxi driver jettisons them in the desert, Alexis is bludgeoned by a gang of ruffians.

Simone's demeanor leaves the ground open for many interpretations: is it because she came close to death that she wants to have a baby? Does she want to discover a new way of life? And if so, where does it lead her? Apart from other many questions that will rise in the viewer's mind, Villeneuve deftly uses the desert landscapes to create majestic, entrancing images. It's even a sort of "in camera" that the director manages to create. A sensation that will come again later when the two friends are in the cramped hotel room. The sense of fantastic is palpable throughout the film: from this car accident to these extra days in August that don't exist to this irrational sequence during which the gang beat Philippe to death. In the end, Villeneuve shrouds his film with a philosophical dimension revolving around life and death.

In Philippe's house, there's a cover depicting Jean Seberg who saw her career taking off thanks to Jean-Luc "God Ard"'s "A Bout De Soufflé" (1959). Godard's detractors blame him for his intellectual pretensions which clutter his works. Many viewers will also deem this work as highbrow and elusive for understandable reasons. Keep it for a day during which you are prone to reflection and thought as it's not a work for the mainstream. And for French viewers, beware! As Quebec people speak with a very pronounced accent, it's sometimes difficult to decipher their words

This film was one of three movies at the Hyderabad Film Festival in January 1999 that caught my eye.

For a first feature film by a director, this effort is commendable. No doubt this Canadian was helped with the choice of a stunning actress, a good editor, and above average cinematography. The weakest point was the script.

I look forward to seeing more films by this director and the lead actress Pascale Bussières. Denis Villeneuve has talent, it only needs to be developed further through experience.

Not too shabby for a debut feature, August 32nd on Earth brings its whacky premise to cinematic life in a simple, amusing fashion, and is a well crafted, wonderfully photographed & finely performed dramedy that commences Denis Villeneuve's filmmaking journey on a promising note, if not a memorable one.