Review of Three Businessmen (1998) by Nicolai H — 06 Sep 2007

Odd.

That's the only word here.

This film was directed by Alex Cox, most well known for his work on Repo Man (and, to a lesser extent, Sid and Nancy--which, if you aren't aware, has Gary Oldman as Sid Vicious...) and in fact he is one of the two stars of the film. It's an absurd, surreal little film (as a hint, the synposis refers to Buñuel and Beckett) about two businessmen, one British (Cox) and one American (Miguel Sandoval, who might be more capable of maintaining "character actor" status, since I did not know his name but was CONVINCED I had seen him before) who happen to share a hotel on their respective business trips.

They happen to meet in the hotel restaurant, where the unusually built, bald, goateed waiter goes to ask the kitchen about the avocado salad's raspberries ("Are they fresh or are they frozen?") and never comes back.

Benny (Sandoval) and Frank (Cox) go to the kitchen to find what has detained their errant waiter, only to find the kitchen devoid of any human presence whatsoever. They exit onto the streets of Liverpool and begin a search for drinks and dinner; the former they succeed in finding, the latter much less.

They spend the entire time discussing various topics, usually related to society, business and philosophy in societal terms. The dialogue is brilliantly realistic and yet surreal; I found myself reminded of David Byrne's monologues in True Stories--which are quite possibly my favourite part of that movie. The first conversation the two of them have, as the ever-British Frank sits quietly reading a newspaper and Benny restlessly clangs silverware together, whistles, hums and can't seem to resist attempting to communicate with Frank's clearly disinterested demeanour.

The painfully, awkwardly stretched attempts to communicate with a stranger are brilliantly acted and written, as are the conversations they have throughout the film as they get more used to each other--even as they accidentally wander into multiple other countries without ever realizing it.

The third businessman, you ask?

Well, he's pictured on the cover, recieves second billing in the end credits (if only because Cox is not credited as actor) but does not appear until the final fifteen to twenty minutes of the film, leading to a hilariously absurd coincidental event near the very end of the film.

It's not something I'd easily or obviously recommend to many folk, though it is only about 80 minutes long and maintained my interest quite well--with a curious, vaguely depressing ambient soundtrack, and occasionally very, very deliberate pacing.

Still, it remained absolutely captivating to watch the brilliant portrayal of a businessman's outward face as he interacted with another of his species.

Odd, I must admit, that this was the first Cox film I saw. I guess Repo Man ought to move up my list now... (8/18/07).