Famed for his wicked sense of surrealism and eye for absurdity, veteran French filmmaker Michel Gondry is back with another romantic fantasy Mood Indigo. Starring Audrey Tautou and Romain Duris, the story is adapted from the 1920s novel L’Ecume des Jours (Froth on the Daydream) written by French author Boris Vian. Those familiar with Gondry from his most famous work Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind will find plenty to admire here, while newcomers can rest assured that this is another entry-level art-house production that’s pretty easy on the grey matter, even with its tragic storyline.
The young and successful Colin (Duris) finds he has almost everything in life, except love, which is in great contrast with his best mate Chick (Gad Elmaleh), who’s well and truly smitten with Alise (Aissa Maiga), with whom he shares the same passion for literature. Colin’s super-stylish personal assistant Nicholas (Omar Sy) offers to help by inviting him to his girlfriend’s house party. Here, he meets and quickly falls for the cheerful Chloe (Tautou). Their relationship blossoms and soon they’ve agreed to get married. On their honeymoon, however, Chloe falls ill. When her health worsens, the once-wealthy Colin blows all his money on her treatment and giving money to Chick to buy books by his favorite philosopher Jean-Sol Partre before being fired and then spiraling into depression.
On face value, this reads as your typical tragic relationship dramady. But, as in the novel, all this takes place in a surreal alternate universe—something Gondry revels in. Now, re-read that synopsis imagining additional ambiance provided by a pianocktail, Colin’s invention which is an old-fashioned piano that mixes cocktails based on the notes you play. He also owns a little mouse, who shares the same character as him, and both live in a small apartment where the doorbell is a bug-like critter that crawls right up to your face. Personal assistant Nicholas happens to be a wannabe chef who takes cooking lessons from a chef who lives in the fridge.
Another part of this grand illusion is the spoonerisms that litter the dialogue; even if it’s all in French, there are plenty that make it through thanks to the well-translated English subtitles (the aforementioned Jean-Sol Partre is a good example). Gondry also loves a punch-line and isn’t afraid to sprinkle them liberally throughout—something that’s done exceptionally well in the publishing company scenes. The soundtrack and the changing color tones play their part, too, as they’re designed to represent the moods of the characters. These are just some of the many fantastical details that Gondry somehow weaves together into a patchwork but utterly believable world.
