by Shane Conto, Staff Writer
Who is ready to journey back into the crazy and artistic mind of Jean-Pierre Jeunet? This auteur has made a career of crafting abstract, hyperrealistic, and colorful worlds. He has dipped his toes into the romantic dramedy, but has found most of his success in the world of science fiction. But most of his tales feel like they are in a world like ours… but A LOT more colorful. People act in strange ways. The camera enjoys getting uncomfortably close to the actors. There is something shocking and brutal around most corners. These are all on display in Netflix’s Bigbug.
What is the world that the audience visits in Bigbug? This is a place where each home is run by machines (my nightmare!). The door is locked and unlocked by machines, the chores are completed by a variety of mechanical beings, and some even have some… fun with their robotic friends. People enjoy watching shows like “Homo Ridiculous” where people are humiliated by machines to earn themselves some money. But there are also an army of militaristic robots who are there to keep people in line. Sounds like a wonderful place, doesn’t it? But what happens next is an uprising that triggers a complete mechanically enforced lockdown. But when an uncomfortable mix of new relations, exes, and neighbors are stuck with each other as well as a crew of machines, things get crazy… and hilarious!
What does Jeunet bring to the table in making this crazy world a reality? All his trademarks are certainly on display, making this an engaging and manic experience. The colors are popping at every moment with bright dynamic palettes all over the place. The absurdist approach to filmmaking makes this a crazed experience with extreme closeups that force the actors to be as expressive as possible. The camera moves with a strangely controlled, yet reckless abandon, making the direction unique. The energy is on a whole other level, carrying the audience for the two-hour runtime. There are times where the narrative gets too muddled and messy, but the enjoyment and excitement never leave.
Before getting into the character dynamics, what is Bigbug trying to say? There is plenty of commentary on authoritarianism dealing with the forced lock-ins and the fascist regime of powerful and dangerous machines. How things are resolved are hilarious and absurd, but there is a real sense of danger along the way. When it comes to our fun crew of machines in the actual house, there is plenty of time spent on their existence. What does it mean to be alive? Do machines have more than a programmed purpose? Jeunet tackles these themes in clever and hilariously relatable ways. Then you have a plethora of human themes surrounding relationships and the general connection between each human being. This is a hilarious and thrilling film that is just that much better due to its depth.
Does the colorful crew of actors match Jeunet’s vibrant approach? Elsa Zylberstein is the anchor to our film as the woman who owns the home we spend the film in. She is connecting to a new lover in Stephane De Grrodt’s Max while trying to process being stuck in the same home as her charismatic and pompous ex-husband Victor played by Youssef Hajdi. Hajdi is assured and unrelenting in his opinions while Zylberstein’s Alice tries to find her footing. One of the true standouts of the cast is Calude Perron, who portrays the robotic maid in the Barelli household. Her fun, yet layered performance as a robotic being is refreshing and entertaining on robotic clichés. The rest of the cast deliver as well, and keep an eye out for some fun cameos by Jeunet’s longtime collaborators.
Are audiences ready for something unlike anything else on Netflix right now? Jeunet is a true auteur, and he knows how to add humor and messages into his crazy worlds. Bigbug is poignant and fun, while also being incredibly relevant today. If you want to feel something deeply emotional and meaningful, this delivers. If you want something fun and full of genre thrills, this delivers too!
Grade: A-
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