L'iceberg

Make no mistake about it, Belgium is a country whose cinema is to be reckoned with. They are perfectly able to turn out some edgy psychological dramas ('De Zaak Alzeimers',or as it's known in this country,'Mind Of A Killer'),as well as some silly,surreal comedy's (as in the case of this film). The Iceberg is one of those films in the later category. The story concerns a middle aged housewife in Brussels, who accidentally gets locked in a meat locker in the local fast food take away where she manages,has a traumatic experience as a result of it, and ends up leaving her family to take up in a quirky seaside village in (one supposes)Scotland. What happens from there has to be seen to be believed. Slapstick comedy occasionally ensues this candy coloured gem of a film. I know I certainly walked out feeling good about myself. You'll have to keep your eyes opened,as this film probably won't play out at many cinemas (and as far as I know, no American standard DVD exists as of yet,despite the fact that the film was released in 2005).

The Belgian comedy, "L'Iceberg," is such a head-scratching little oddity that it is virtually impossible to describe it for anyone who hasn't already seen it. It's a highly stylized tale of a young restaurant manager who decides to break away from her stultifying and humdrum existence after she inadvertently locks herself in a freezer overnight - only to discover, once she gets out, that her husband and their two carbon-copy young children have failed to notice her absence. Realizing her utter insignificance to those around her, Fiona strikes out on her own, abandoning her job and staying away from home for long stretches of time - eventually setting out to sea with a mysterious deaf/mute sailor she meets along the way.

Utilizing concepts straight out of the Theater of the Absurd, "L'Iceberg" pokes fun at the sterility of modern life, as Fiona finally breaks free of the bonds of domesticity and goes on a quest for love and adventure. Directors Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon (who play the husband and wife in the film) have composed their film almost entirely of straight-on block shots, perfect for emphasizing the surreal spareness of the drama and setting. The lanky, bug-eyed Gordon, who looks for all the world like a cross between Frances McDormand and a stringy-haired Olive Oyl, plays Fiona with a mouth-breathing, deadpanned seriousness that enhances our empathy for the character and heightens the satirical nature of the piece.

Original in concept and bold in execution, "L'Iceberg" is irrepressibly imaginative and visually inventive in its cockeyed portrayal of the world around us.

the fairytale was well to the fore in this completely charming quest film, which has such striking individual scenes that i think the directors must have a background in theatre drama. There s a charming(and accurate in essence) demonstration of the co operative nature of french village life, of suburban relationships, of the desire that women have for a life which contains a little of magic and adventure.Fiona Gordon has the grace of a dancer, and the plight of her husband is both pathetic and noble, as well as funny. after watching the film i kept remembering little pieces that made me laugh, and beautiful evocations of.... icebergs?

I was simply enchanted by seeing this movie. From the beginning till the end, it captivated me. And I must note that Belgian (not French: Belgian, it is quite not the same!) cinema is the best one: remember "Man Bites Dog" (French Title: "C'est arrivé près de chez vous", means "it occurred just near your home")! The authors, worthy heirs of Jacques Tati ("Les Vacances de M. Hulot"/"M. Hulot's Holidays", "Mon Oncle"/"My uncle", ...) , give us a movie full of poetry and refined humor. It is pure fantasy, all you got to do is to let you go to it! Go and see this movie, quickly, and if it does not play in a theatre near you, come and visit Paris or Bruxelles... You'll be able to see it!

A comedy that uses pantomime throughout to tell a story about a woman traumatized after being caught overnight in a freezer. Pantomine can be a fertile ground for slapstick. The movie has a few humorous moments but they are simply not enough to make it worth one's time. Moreover, some of the slapstick is poorly timed, as in the scene with the boat anchor; one can see it coming well before the gag occurs and then the directors unnecessarily milk the situation several more seconds after the laughs have died down.

The most genial thing the directors did was opening with the monologue of Lucy Tulugarjuk. Her endearing and contagious smile is an image that will stay with me for a long time. If only the comedy at the core of the film could have been as satisfying as Lucy's charming grin.