Review of Chicken with Plums (2011) by Mikael K — 15 Nov 2012

2007 saw a remarkable event in the world of cinema, when Marjane Satrapi teamed up with Vincent Paronnaud to make an animated adaptation of her prize-winning autobiography in comic form, "Persepolis". The result was a film every bit as perfect as the comics it was based on, filled with the emotion of growing up combined with illuminating glimpses into everyday life in Iran during its many political reigns and turmoil. The personal met the societal in a perfect union.

In 2011 the duo gave us "Poulet aux prunes," another adaptation of a comic by Satrapi. This time, they decided to turn the story into a live action instead of an animation.

I read the graphic novel before seeing the film, and while it was guaranteed Satrapi quality in storytelling, I found that this rather romantic if tragic true tale of the author's relative lacked the depth all the political and cultural levels brought to "Persepolis". This time Satrapi & Paronnaud truly show what they can do with the tools of cinema. They have turned a good comic book into a wonderful film that's unafraid to experiment, switch styles and result to extreme visual storytelling. They manage to keep their bold experimenting on a level that still allows everything to fit together perfectly.

Mathieu Amalric shines as Nasser-Ali Khan, the tragic protagonist who has been disappointed by life, spreading the seeds of that disappointment around himself. We start with his death then move on to experience the last days of his life, a slow suicide. Dynamic flashbacks and flash-forwards animate this into a broad story that's still firmly docked inside one room where one life is ending.

Here is a historically interesting film, but its take on its storytelling is highly stylized and in just the right ways old fashioned and romantic. If you want to experience cinematic magic in a meaningful, honestly emotional form, this is definitely your film. Beautiful, touching, powerful, "Poulet aux prunes" is a great achievement and one that makes you crave for more from this new dynamic duo of modern filmmaking. Satrapi's "Embroideries" is yet to be adapted...