Microbe and Gasoline (2015)

A Masterpiece!

This is a tender, generous movie that likes its characters and presents them as real people, full of flaws and strengths.

It is not deep, but it is fun to watch. It does have a bit more of an edge to it than other similar films.

Blistering performances.

Microbe & Gasoline (French: Microbe et Gasoil) (2015) Director: Michel Gondry Watched: April 2018 6/10 {Clue: The very best part of this film} Here we are with another Gondry, Outstanding performances from the two young protagonists: Daniel named for his effeminacy and Theo named for his mechanical tendencies, Unexpectedly funny scenes like the lonely dentist and wife that try to keep them, Theo's art gallery theatrics, and Daniel trying to get a haircut at a whorehouse, Straightforward film for Gondry- not nearly as extravagant nor surreal as most of his others, Except for the contraption that gets them around- charming with its recycled parts like a headboard and dryer door, complete with rear and side view mirrors and some geraniums. Coming-of-age/romantic comedy/road trip film, A tribute to unabashedly being you: "Let's face it. We're not exactly normal: you the hopeless romantic and me the grease monkey," Really fun despite slow parts, but ending lacks closure or meaning. Acrostic is a form of poetry where the first letters in each line, paragraph, or word are doubly used to spell a name, phrase, or word. The word "acrostic" comes from the Greek words "akros" (outermost) and "stichos" (line of verse). Read the appropriate letters in the poem vertically to reveal the extra message, called the "acrostich"! #Acrostic #PoemReview #Gondry #RoadTrip

Sorry for my bad English. I wanted to write in Portuguese only to show the scope of this incredible film of Michel Gondry. At least the films co-produced by France I have been watching, seeking simplicity to tell a simpler story of characters that easily identify. This is the case here, too. Forget Gondry full of tricks is in The Science Of Sleep or Mood Indigo. Gondry just want us to know two amazing figures and this plays attention entirely on them. Sure, it's Michel Gondry. Their follies are there too. Whether in an airplane landing gear aft or own "car home," but still holding on is Theo, is Daniel. It's an honest story - honest conversations, honest performances - which depicts a phase of our lives that we should not tarnish what we're building inside of us. It is without doubt the best Gondry script. The dialogs are an amazing naturalness; well placed jokes, drama in some extent anyway. It's about life, but not at any time try to understand it, but I went with it with all the questions we encounter along the way. I hope the next Michel Gondry's work is so personal and sincere as this road movie. I even love the One Mind Eternal Sunshine Spotless or The Science of Sleep, I think this idea so simple has captivated me more than I can imagine. Even Gondry understood the need to be simple, because maybe that's what it's about life. The simplicity of a friendship.

Microbe is the nickname for Daniel as he is the smallest in his class. A thinker and a bit of an artist he doesn't really fit in all that well with the other kids. Then one day a new boy starts school. This is Theo and he has to help his father in his shop, so turns up at school smelling of petrol – and thereby gets the nickname 'Gasoline'. They know they are unappreciated in a sea of mediocrity with their fellow class mates but can not think what to do about it.However Theo is also a bit of a mechanic and they hit upon the great – if unoriginal idea – to run away; or rather drive away from home. What follows is a very entertaining and engaging road trip of a movie but with an awful lot of differences and some great performances too.This is well made and does have some laugh out loud moments but it is not a rip roarin comedy extravaganza. That said I really enjoyed it – director Michel Gondry manages to capture that fleeting innocence and anomie that causes kids to bond with each other – recommended to fans of European cinema and those who just like a feel good film.

In their original context new French movies seem to be better than the ones that show up in the Australian multiplexes. It will be interesting to see if this one, LOVE or LE TOUT NOUVEAU TESTAMENT make it here.M&G is an agreeable departure. The disaffected school boy chums build a car out of junk scrap metal and are disappointed that they can't register it but they still hit the road, disguising it as a timber shack - great moment of the vehicle we thought was a write-off rolling to the rescue in a cloud of smoke.The switch to a serious ending helps the piece stay in the memory.Audrey Tatou has a minor part to further disorient the viewers.