‘Wrong’ rolls into the Lightbox from ‘Rubber’ director Quentin Dupieux

Starting an exclusive run at the TIFF Bell Lightbox this weekend, infamous director and musician Quentin Dupieux, aka Mr Oizo, the director of the movie about a car tire on a killing spree ‘Rubber’, is back with his newest absurdist comedy ‘Wrong’. With Rubber being an extremely divisive film, and Dupieux’s penchant for the bizarre, Wrong is sure to not just be simple a story of a man trying to find his lost dog, but among the other distractions and flights of fancy from Dupieux it also is simply that story. But will the director’s latest opus be worthy of a trip down to the Lightbox for the experience?

Wrong 

Starring Jack Plotnick, Eric Judor, Alexis Dziena, William Fichtner, Steve Little and Regan Burns

Written and Directed by Quentin Dupieux

Dolph Springer (Plotnick) wakes up one morning to realize he has lost the love of his life, his dog, Paul. During his quest to get Paul (and his life) back, Dolph encounters a myriad of bizarre phenomena and people. Firemen apathetically ignore a fire, an alarm clock reads 7:60 AM, a pine tree becomes a palm tree, a pizza restaurant nymphomaniac, a jogging-addict neighbor in search of completeness, an opportunistic French-Mexican gardener, and an off-kilter pet detective. And with all this, if Dolph Springer has any chance of getting his dog back he has to listen and follow the lead of a guru of canine psychosis, Master Chang (Fichtner), who sports a mysteriously scarred face and even more mysterious intentions.

After watching Wrong back in October at Toronto After Dark Film Festival, this critic`s only way to describe the plot was to say that Wrong is a sack full of fighting kittens crazy. The second viewing does not make the trip any less bizarre, as expected, as we pretty much get everything AND the kitchen sink thrown in here. To describe the film`s plot and story in a linear manner would be futile and take way too much time. From Dolph`s unusual office conditions at work to his gardener pursuing the Pizza girl infatuated with Dolph without his knowledge. The bumbling detective hired to help find Paul and the strangely bizarre encounters with Master Chang he must endure to get Paul back. The film defies description with every twist and turn. The surrealist manner of execution added to the unconventional script and mode of storytelling just adds more intrigue to the proceedings.

Plotnick does some good work here, essentially playing the straight man for the majority of the film, as his hapless Dolph actually comes off loveable. His deconstruction of the absurdity of a fast food mascot is hilarious. Fichtner is, as always, a fascinating watch as he deftly maneuvers through the intricacies of his character and delivers a smart and engaging performance. Steve Little’s detective also ranks as a highlight as his bumbling makes way to emphatic revelation and a hilarious meltdown. The Gorgeous Dziena is alluring and seductive as the pizza girl taken by Dolph`s sardonic charm and wit.

Wrong is also a decidedly better shot, edited and looking film than Rubber was, showing that Dupieux is growing as a technical filmmaker more with each project. Many shots look like gorgeous postcards and elevate past mere film towards the artistic. Dupieux`s camera is also becoming more inventive with inventive shooting techniques and new camera angles, once sequences flashes between reverse and forward with seamlessly dizzying pace, and this also helps evolves his unique vision.Definitely not the type of film that will play equally for everyone, it will challenge the best of viewers and will turn off a lot of them, but the film will reward the people that stay with it and give it a chance. Despite its absurdity Wrong has a charm and charisma that are undeniable, and for that Wrong is a recommend.

Till Next Time

Movie Junkie TO

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