by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
How far would you go to escape someone, and the life promised with said person? Or how far would you go to chase someone, and the life promised with them? Somehow, Grand Tour can balance the two sides of that tale…but not in the way you might expect. Portuguese filmmaker Miguel Gomes crafts a fluid, atmospheric romp that explores many places in Asia through the eyes of these two potential spouses. This is not a film that works in a frequency with a traditional narrative but more in the wandering exploration of its characters in two pieces. The escape. The chase. Two stories for one yet so much more…but also less.
What is the prevailing strength of Gomes’ film? The feeling. The atmosphere. The ideas. This is not a narrative focused film. Outside of a civil servant on the run and his potential wife on the chase, there are not a lot of concrete narrative threads to explore. But what keeps the audience engaged for the 128-minute film is the overall experience. The visuals are gorgeous for sure. The crisp black-and-white cinematography that intermittently weaves throughout this film is gorgeous. Even when the color visuals come in, that is striking as well. The combination of Guo Liang, Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, and Rui Pocas behind the camera makes this such a visual experience that is unmatched by most films that have come out so far this year. There is a dream-like experience but the added layers of cultural interludes as an interesting layer to this experience as well. You get added layers about each destination and the people there. If you are open to divergences, there are meaningful experiences that really come to life.
Does the screenplay of this film have an impact? Now to get this out of the way…the narrative is as loose as you can get. The resolution of the little story here is not exactly what you would expect. This is not a traditionally satisfying story but instead uses this loose story to explore the world and people around us. The film is split in two (generally) as the first half focuses on Edward, our escapist, and the second half on Molly, his abandoned betrothed. But each place they go, there are impactful thematic explorations. The way the film explores different cultures is unique and unexpected. Whether you are watching karaoke with someone pouring all their soul into “My Way” by Frank Sinatra or watching intricate puppet shows, you are feeling the people and their culture in organic and poignant ways. This is a strangely realized concept that honestly feels more like a documentary at times than a runaway story. The exploration of happiness, anxiety, ennui, and melancholy is quite poignant at times as well.
Does character work or acting cops make a significant impact on the overall experience that is Grand Tour? Goncalo Waddington is a stranger in many strange lands in this film and this is apparent in this film. The conscious choice to have Waddington speak Portuguese throughout (despite being an American in the film) is a clever way to display the disconnect. Waddington’s Edward does not flee to explore other countries and cultures. He is running to hide, and that lack of connection is apparent in his character and the language barrier is a good choice to express that. You feel the prevailing sense of melancholy that comes over Edward thanks to the strong performance by Waddington. There is not a lot there in terms of characterization but there is at least enough to work with. Then you have the driven Molly who is brought to life with vigor by Crista Alfaiate. We can get behind the propulsive determination that Molly shows even if we are not quite sure why she would want to be with Edward in the first place. Waddington and Alfaiate do their jobs well as the reflective beings they are for the globetrotting to shine off.
Is Grand Tour a big winner for an arthouse producer like Mubi? This is a hard sell for sure. If you are in the space to turn your dial to the right frequency to pick up on what Gomes is laying down, you just might have a special experience at your feet. If you need story, structure, and rich characters to connect and enrich your cinematic experience, that is not the recipe for Gomes latest concoction. But don’t get this wrong, there is a rich cinematic experience to be had…it just requires more buy-in and energy from you as well.
Rating: Liked It
Grand Tour is currently streaming on Mubi
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