Holy Motors reviewed by Mark Kermode

www.bbc.co.uk/5live
Fridays at 2pm on BBC 5 live.
Mark Kermode reviews Holy Motors. French director Leos Carax's first feature in 13 years, the surreal tale of a man who leads multiple lives.

[@soundsignatures7574]

Extraordinary movie. Enjoyed seeing Mark trying to describe it enormously. Such a delight to watch a film where we literally have no idea what could possibly happen next... each subsequent moment could be shocking, poignant or hilarious, and all three simultaneously. Genius. And a staggering performance from Lavant. In my top 10

[@TarikM]

One of the best movies I’ve ever seen. There is so much to it.

[@ronnierockit4468]

The thing is pure cinematic bliss

[@Onmysheet]

The 1st half was great but kind of dragged in the 2nd.

[@nikolassodiant2595]

Holy Motors is a work of genius & future generations will still watch this epic movie in 2050 🗼🗼🗼🗼🗼🎥🎥🎥🎥🎥

[@JohnnyArtPavlou]

Here in 2023. I had watched this a few years ago, and even though I remember the unfolding of some of the scenes… I kind of guess I forgot the whole conceit of the film. If I ever got it, it’s now available on KZbin to stream free with ads.

[@michaelantonyaustin]

I can’t believe I’ve been watching the pair of you bicker like an old married couple for over 10 years! 😅 Please don’t stop 🤩👍

[@kermodeandmayo]

This 'other guy' is the presenter of the radio show from which these reviews are taken. We have had to remove your post due to your language.

[@peterdance9143]

What language was it in?

[@kathleendickson8777]

Just loved it when I first saw it on release at the gft in Glasgow .

[@Gildete257]

One of the greatest movies of the cinema history.

[@Dige85cph]

I don't get the whole "spoiler" conversations. I think these types of movies are so special that even knowing what is going to happen doesn't detract from the whole experience of watching them - and I find that actually going through the plot (for a lack of a better word) several times only enhances the understanding and appreciation.

[@davidsanderson5918]

Ingmar Bergman once said he couldn't understand how anyone could not watch a great film again.....or something like that. I'll have to find the book I read it in and read it again.

[@ronnyjowe]

'pont neuf' is actually translates as New Bridge.

[@HdRfreak21]

@ Hell it does. Yes, "neuf" is french for "nine", but "neuf/neuve" also means "new" - in the sense of brand-new, recent, if I remember correctly, as opposed to the more general "nouveau/nouvelle". As is explained to virtually every tourist in Paris ever, "Pont Neuf" means "New Bridge", a name the bridge got immediately after its construction and that stuck with it, even though it's now the oldest existing Seine bridge in Paris. Pretty sure ronnyjowe won't read this defense of his seven years later, but whatever.

[@ViceroyoftheDiptera]

@ Incorrect, it can mean either. Also if it were nine, it wouldn't be 'ninth bridge' (which would be 'neuvième pont'), it would be 'bridge nine'. Don't correct people if you don't speak the language yourself.

[@douglasmilton2805]

Charlie I've been living in Paris for twenty years, I'm bilingual and trust me, le Pont Neuf means the new bridge.

[@rekuzaaan]

I think this is a pretty apt review. It’s one of those films that you could just sit back and marvel at without trying to pigeonhole any of it into this or that explicitly.

[@davidsanderson5918]

I was all ready to slam Mayo for not knowing about Carax but then pulling up Kermode for his clumsy 'wunderkind of French cinema' line was a nice touch. Ha ha!!

[@fullbleed24]

Its a shame because he tries so hard to avoid them but as film critic you can never really get away from spoilers. That's kind of why he didn't want to point out that Kylie is dressed as Jean Seberg in Breathless. I think just so long as they don't give away anything more than what's in the trailers its fine.

[@narabdela]

Absolutely brilliant movie. If you're a fan of "Wham, Bam, Thank You Mam" movies, forget it. However if you love Cinema, it's a must see.

[@washingmachinedoesntneedme4947]

dear markode, both your theory and his explanations are accurate. not sure why do you see them as contradicting.

[@alejoparedes2388]

Leos Carax est Dieu.

[@heder6973]

XD XD XD 00:16

[@sergonioradze]

Enfant terrible, not garcon formidable :))

[@GianlucaGallo]

I love how cinema critics are nobody to actually understand art

[@johnmiller5679]

A women I used to date told me about this movie and wanted me to see it and give her my opinion. I saw it and felt it was the kind of jumbled mess that the French love, all symbolism with no end game. OK fine people can talk about it in a cafe for hours while smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee but whats the result. Seriously I understand people discussing a movie and having different opinions and Kermode here is correct when he says never trust a director to tell you what the movie is about. He or she could say it's about this but you as the viewer thinks it's about something else and I guess that's the point but whats the story? If you can talk about it for hours and disagree on it's meaning that what was it all for. Like the French love this kind of movie because it gives them something to argue about for hours in a cafe while smoking and drinking. The French work a 35 hour work week to the U.S. 40 hours and I guess the extra five hours is to watch this and talk about it but i'd rather be working.

[@JohnnyArtPavlou]

It’s useless, like poetry. It resists the pull to easy resolution. You don’t really watch a Tarkovsky film, for instance, to get to the end...you surrender to each moment.

[@andyquin5386]

@@JohnnyArtPavlou Don't waste your time. They work longer than we do so obviously they're better than we are.

[@donniebobb74]

Leave it to a critic to say "never trust a director on what they say about their own film". Lol. Ridiculous.

[@Lark1610]

Actually it's quite old theory on reception of art: intention of the maker is irrelevant. The work speaks itself. Even more, the intentions, emotions and experience of every audience member is what makes art complete. Until it is seen, art is incomplete. Also: artists usually hate to explain their work, because the whole purpose of art is to speak for itself. So often they make up what the work is about, because they find offence in that kind of question.

[@Lark1610]

Not only is it not ridiculous. On many levels it's pure logic.

[@douglasmilton2805]

Filip, yes. At one point in the film somebody quotes the old line about beauty being in the eye of the beholder. To which another person replies, what if there's no beholder? I love this film so much, ditto your response.

[@anthonychrisbradley]

Never heard of "death of the author"?

[@nicolewilliams6052]

sounds annoying

[@joguess87]

What?

[@jaiminroger1978]

watched it yesterday with 3 other people. Absolutely pretentious rubbish that makes NO sense whatsoever. It´s impossible to have any sympathy for these characters..none whatsoever...looks cheap and it´s just boring with capital letters....sorry lost 100 mins of my life and I want them back please!

[@johnmiller5679]

I kept pausing this movie while I made dinner and it took me over 3 hours to watch it and let me tell you the movie felt way more then 100 minutes and it was the longest 100 minutes of me life. Plan 9 from outta space felt way shorter and I believe that was 80 minutes.

[@Sssthpok]

"makes no sense whatsoever" And there's the issue for you, isn't it? Your brain, such as it is, is not tuned to anything that is associative, or non-linear. This is a surrealist art effort. Of course you didn't 'get' it. I doubt you get much beyond meat and two veg, in real world terms. Don't fret, keep the TV on and you will be fine.

[@Brogdus]

@@Sssthpok I bet you're fun at parties

[@righteousone5068]

@@Sssthpok I agree with you.

[@deanjgn666666]

Mate this movie is not for the cultural mass. Stay away from it.