Review of Delicatessen (1991) by Ahmedaiman1999 — 11 May 2020

"Since I break things, I always buy two.".

You remember the oddly satisfying scene from Amélie where the titular heroine describes her little pleasures? Delicatessen, as a whole, seems to be the exact opposite of that scene.

From its first minutes, we're thrown into a dirty, twisted, decaying universe where everything seems off, discordant and in a total disarray. A universe where the cold water only comes on when you turn the handle for the hot, and vice versa, and where there is a musical saw.

Speaking of the musical saw, music seems to be the only thing that can effortlessly produced; hence, it's our only interim comfort in this bizarre, unsettling world. For, in contrast, when it comes to music, all the things, whatever they are, seem to be miraculously harmonious with each other.

The outrageously beautiful yellow-drenched cinematography, the close-up shots and camera angles and the post-apocalyptic futuristic setting, all reminded me of Gilliam's Brazil. While the whimsical, childlike feel that pervade the entire film reminded me of Wes Anderson. That said, Jeunet and Caro's vision is one-of-a-kind. For while cannibalism plays a major role in Delicatessen, it's never disturbing and doesn't even have much violence. And while it has an undeniable childlike feel into it —to the point its characters and its overall look are so cartoonish— it's not to told from a child perspective and very mature at its core.

"Nobody is entirely evil: it's that circumstances that make them evil, or they don't know they are doing evil.".

This quote doesn't only apply to a certain character in the film, but I think it sums up the entire film in one way or another. Delicatessen is littered with inexplicable circumstances that seem, at face value, to only lead to sinister ends. However, there are also things in the film that don't seem to fit in with neither its major theme nor the chaotically evil happenings. Yes, the music and the cartoonish vibe. They somehow suggest that everything will be alright in the end: where comes the job for the Australian!

The only issue I have, which is sadly a major one, is that the film is too convoluted for its own good. The fact it's intentionally messy —which is a thing I adored about it— didn't help either. Regardless, do yourself a favour and watch it, even if you didn't necessarily like Amélie. "C’est saisissant!".

(8.