Un crabe dans la tête

Definitely,this movie is surprising! Although the pace seems long at the beginning, we get into that movie impressively well. The cast and the characters' background is such well-developed. David La Haye is absolutely tremendous in that performance, and as great as French-Canadian viewers got used to see him in along the years. In response to some comments I read about this film, I'd only tell that this movie is based on the characters' psychology, and not the theme that represents each of them. Thus, this movie is of course not an arts movie. If you expect such, I understand you maybe don't like it.

Another great pride of Quebec's cinema! 8 out of 10!

This is a very good film from Quebec. The acting was nice, it was a really understated drama but at the same time had really strange (in a good way) elements to it and it had something to say. Can't go into too many details without spilling the beans but it's a good story about a guy who's kind of a knob and who has a lot of trouble with relationships both with women and just friends in general.

I would take a film that has a great feel over a film with a great plot any day, which is not even the case here, because I would argue that the plot has more than enough to keep you interested. David LaHaye's utterly watchable performance is spot on and unlike any other you'll ever see -- and men don't usually get kudos from women for their portrayal of immature men. And if that wasn't enough, André Turpin, who directed and shot this, has a way of making films look like they're lit with light that's bounced off crystals -- there's this beautiful sheen you'd only expect to see in movies from the other side of the Atlantic. My favourite part is that even though it's got the makings of a serious drama, the dialogue is a smart and hilarious ode to the Québécois language that makes no apologies for not being from France. Quite honestly, my favourite Canadian film from the last 10 years.

Un crabe dans la tête tells a good story and tells it well. The characters are acted well and convincingly and the camera work communicates atmosphere effectively. A few details (the Biosphere scene near the end?!) are weaker or confusing, but are easily forgiven. Like many films made by Montrealers (Maëlstrom, Eldorado, Un zoo la nuit ... among many others), this one also feels like real-life Montreal with just a little extra fantasy added. There's nothing untrue about the depiction of the city. (In contrast, a Hollywood production set here, such as The Score, looks and feels like Montreal as seen by tourists from the U.S.)

Alex's main characteristic - excess desire to please combined with an incapacity to say no - is ladled on a bit thickly. He does become frustrating and even annoying to watch by the middle of the film. But his behavior, in less extreme form, is not at all uncommon (at least among Canadian Gen-Xers!). The film will have well served its purpose if it incites us to recognize the tendency and snap out of it.

I worked as the festival coordinator for the Toronto Environmental Film festival in 2001 -- this was definitely the most powerful and entertaining piece to be shown on the screens. The audience response was very similar and I've watched it several more times over.

The characters, the conversations and the twists together form a genuine and intriguing film -- something we all could relate to and I truly believe some of the choice made are similar to reactions I would have in the same position.

This film is very human and very french - but worth every moment.

Please try it. Mitchell