Arthouse hero Guy Maddin makes his biggest movie yet
Film | Jorge Ignacio Castillo
Rumours
Cineplex Southland
Rumours answers the question, ‘what if Guy Maddin (My Winnipeg) had a real budget and toned down the craziness?
Rumours (check that second “U”!) is by far the Winnipeg director’s most commercial film to date. It has a ridiculously overqualified cast, headed by Maddin’s number-one fan Cate Blanchett (also a producer), with Alicia Vikander, Denis Menochét, Charles Dance and token Canadian Roy Dupuis, who worked with the filmmaker in the particularly inaccessible The Forbidden Room.
In fairness, Maddin didn’t go it alone: he shared directing duties with frequent collaborators Evan Johnson (also the scriptwriter) and his brother Galen. The result is solid and entertaining, even if it’s not quite as memorable as Maddin’s better-known efforts.
Rumours is about a G7 meeting in the German countryside hosted by the chancellor (Blanchett). Even though the world is deep in a never-explained crisis, its leaders act like they’re on a class trip. They fit the categories, too: there’s a jock, a nerd, a sycophant, and couple of gals pinning for a handsome loner.
While writing one of those inane resolutions that gets ditched the minute the summit ends, the leaders realize they’ve been abandoned. No assistants, no bodyguards, no servants—everyone’s gone. And they don’t just have to fend for themselves against the elements — they must also contend with a mysterious presence deep in the woods.
Rumours has stereotypes but smartly avoids character clichés (having great actors helps). Sure, every leader is very much a recognizable representative of their country, but Maddin and co. make them distinctive. The lovelorn Canadian PM is on the edge of breakdown as his former lover wants to keep things professional this time around. The German chancellor tries and fails to keep everything together. And rather than some Trumpian blowhard, the American president is a John McCain-type looking forward to riding into the sunset with some dignity. Their interactions are delicious.
Rumour’s unexpected MVP is Roy Dupuis, who goes from profoundly depressed to the most pragmatic member of the group in the face of an emergency. The writing, particularly the depiction of the leaders’ warped minds (they think in press releases), is a delight. However, the theme — control is an illusion — isn’t as compelling, and the final few minutes don’t carry the weight they should.
It’s still fun to watch Guy Maddin play with expensive toys and proper cameras. I appreciate his previous work, but the grainy super-8mm was driving me nuts.