3 out of 5

Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet

Micmacs is a movie for Jeunet fans, or movie fans, or French fans. It can be enjoyed on many levels, but is truly more of a film FOR these groups than a film expressing any deep point or desire. But thats okay. This is Jeunet having fun, and the audience should have fun as well. Micmacs has the AMAZING visuals and story-telling quirks with which followers of Amelie and City of Lost Children will be familiar, but where these movies splashed elements of darkness onto explorations of love and people, Micmacs remains wholly happy, even when shooting at people and blowing things up. The film follows Dany Boon as he hooks up with a band of weirdos on his to getting revenge on the people who have affected his life in some massive ways. It sounds dark, but it aint. Its a giggly 90 or so minutes, with an obligatory love angle and cute montages, with many fun winks from Jeunet in the form of meta references to the movie (characters continually pass posters for Micmacs featuring the scene in which theyre appearing). So, again – I took this as an established film-maker just wanting to have a good time. It carries you along for the ride very easily, and while it might not strike the chords of his previous films, sometimes its worth the money if youre just truly enjoying yourself.