Bizarre (2015) Reviews

• Well acted in funny weird underground story

  asbn-264842016-12-31

  I liked this movie, not from the very beginning, but as the story evolves - french cute boy comes to Brooklyn and works in exchange for a place to sleep as barkeeper / dishwasher in the underground club Bizarre, - it becomes more and more emotionally dense. And erotic. And this is for me what the story is about: it leaves a lot for your imagination, it doesn't show all, the feelings of Maurice (main actor Pierre Prieur) as well as his motives and fears are just to imagine, as not spoken out. Isn't this what love and Eros is all about. Name it and it's gone. This is not an easy movie, although there are a lot of funny, weird, queer, drag queen scenes, which are seldom seen in bigger productions in such honesty and passion. Because this movie leaves the interpretation of the story and especially the (absolutely not predictable) end to the viewer. I love the movie, I love the actors, their beauty, their self- consciousness. And after I heard an interview with the director in Berlin (Teddy Awards), I also like him and his way of making underground movies. This is not an American gay movie, where everything is clear. This is great European (French) cinema. Its not about sex, its about Eros. If you like movies, where you have to think for yourself and don't get answers served on a silver tablet, watch this gem of a gay themed movie.

• Yet another Gay Themed tragedy: slow & predictable with "eye candy".

  SBlues2015-12-28

  The movie poster is deceiving because it gives one the impression that it's going to be a love triangle between a cute young man and two slightly older women. That's what I thought without reading the synopsis, before watching any trailers because I didn't want to have any more expectations beyond my first impression of the poster. No doubt this experimental looking film is a gay themed tragedy from the start. The moment I noticed the main character, an extremely attractive young man and his emotionless/solemn eyes; I knew I would be curious to watch his "aimless" journey. I was expecting it to be very sexual and emotionally revealing from each of its characters as it moved along but the filmmakers only gives us "teasing" glimpses into a world that would have been very exciting to watch. Sadly I found this film a bit depressing more than necessary. I hope this filmmaker doesn't become the gay version of Lars Von Trier because Von Trier's movies tend to mirror his own melancholic personal life. Never fun to watch but… I learned many years ago that if the film has really depressing and tragic moments with seemingly hopeless and/or pathetic characters, it usually gets endless film awards. So making these types of films can be very rewarding for the filmmakers even if the film isn't that great or entertaining throughout. In the end, all we have here is yet another Gay Themed tragedy that is very slow and predictable with an attractive lead character for "eye candy". Side note: The filmmaker appears to be as attracted to the young male lead's beauty as much as the viewer, so much so that he has already started a new movie starring the same actor in one of his next film projects. Hopefully in his next feature film he spent more time in developing a better story that doesn't follow one of those exhausted gay themed scenarios just to win awards. Throwing unnecessary scenes together just to give your young, fresh face muse or crush or newly discovered "talent" starring roles is one thing but to rely on old, predictable situations of tormented & tragic gay characters is something we've seen in most gay themed movies. After watching a few of them, it becomes uncomfortable viewing because it gets irritating to see so many new and older filmmakers essentially re-making the same few stories, repeatedly.

• special

  Kirpianuscus2017-01-04

  it is the film of states of soul. nothing clear. only a lot of suggestions and references and dialogues who are parts of silence. a French young man in Brooklyn. a club. eroticism. obscure desires and past and future. and the need to escape from yourself. Pierre Prieur is Maurice. the film - his strange, bitter confession. the only obvious thing - the need of a place. the desire to run by himself. the fear. and the lost in the womb of society as nobody. nothing more. and this does Bizarre special. the life of club , the meet with the girls and the relation with Kuke, the boxing and the murders, the shows and the delicacy to love and respect and live. it is a beautiful film not only for story or cold end or performances. but for the feeling. to be a story about yourself. because it is like a gift. the charming package. the nice box. and the bitter truth.