Review of Le Grand Vide

 

Le Grand Vide, the latest feature film from Jessy Dupont, surprises with its sobriety and minimalist approach. This film, which sits at the crossroads of a road movie and an introspective drama, immerses us in the story of Elliot, a man broken by the weight of his past, who sets off in search of his missing son. This quest, which could easily have slipped into heavy-handed drama, is instead handled with an almost unexpected lightness. Dupont focuses on moments of introspection, where silences and landscapes speak as much as the dialogue.

The strength of Le Grand Vide lies in how the storyline around the search for Elliot's son works so well. Far from stagnating in waiting, the story moves forward smoothly thanks to a well-structured script. Every step of Elliot's journey feels natural and inevitable, with the encounters and obstacles along the way serving to advance the plot without ever slowing the pace. The underlying tension of this quest is skillfully maintained throughout the film, engaging the audience in a narrative progression that is both emotional and dramatic.

Visually, the film manages to capture the raw, authentic beauty of the maritime landscapes. The images, though simple, are marked by an efficiency that serves Elliot and Bourk's story very well. Le Grand Vide could have benefited from greater technical resources, allowing for more elaborate cinematography. However, this visual modesty does not detract from the emotion it conveys; the simplicity of the shots enhances the human dimension of the film. Dupont's direction keeps the focus on the characters without unnecessary distraction. Still, it would have been interesting to see more financial resources at play, especially knowing that this is a small-budget production.

Jean Drolet's performance is full of restraint. He never tries to overplay his character's suffering but lets the pain of a man who has lost all hope subtly show through. Alongside him, Marc Lamontagne in the role of Bourk provides a more eccentric and vibrant counterbalance, bringing a welcome energy.

Despite these undeniable qualities, Le Grand Vide may leave some of the audience behind. The pacing, at times slower, may occasionally feel repetitive. Additionally, some viewers might find the musical score overwhelming or even abrasive, though the quality of the music itself is undeniable. Jessy took a high risk with his bold musical choices, but in my opinion, they are just right.

In summary, Le Grand Vide is a film worth seeing. 3.5 stars out of 5.

Review by Mark Harris

Film Review: Late Night with the Devil (2023)

It’s always great to see a particular film genre go through a big evolution. I’m not a big fan of the found-footage genre, but with Late Night with the Devil, it is clear that the film moved the entire domain of this type of moving-making. The premise involves a double layer of found footage, seen in a special episode of a late-night talk show from the 1970s, where a single guest apparently managed to summon the devil.

The film, directed by Cameron and Colin Cairnes, uses the two-fold approach in a really novel, but narratively very suitable manner. The first layer is the 1970s color (and 4:3 format) show that was broadcast live decades earlier, while the second layer is a regularly framed but black and white behind-the-scenes footage. Both blend perfectly in a modest runtime of an hour and a half.

The last element of this extraordinary film is David Dastmalchian as Jack Delroy, the late-night show host who has fallen to his lowest point in both life and career. Dastmalchian is fantastic in presenting the multi-faceted Delroy, where many elements of personal motivation and drive, motivation, guilt, grief, and regret all mix with the insatiable need to be the number one in his field of business.

It’s a shame that the film generated an aura of controversy due to its incredibly minor and trivial use of AI-generated images for a couple of still shots. Beyond the issue of AI art use, Late Night with the Devil is a fantastic and innovative horror film that does for its genre what few have managed in many previous years.