Delicatessen

Released: 1991
Reviewed: 1.1.10
Star rating: 2 out of 5

Pascal Benezech (Tried to Escape), Dominique Pinon (Louison), Marie_Laure Dougnac (Julie), Karin Viard (Plusse), Ticky Holgado (Marcel Tapioca), Anne-Marie Pisani (Mrs Tapioca), Chick Ortega (Postman), Silvie Laguna (Aurore Interligator).

Down on his luck clown Louison finds work and a place to live in an apartment building run by a butcher who also runs a deli on the ground floor. He also finds romance with Julie, the butcher's daughter. What he doesn't know is that the butcher is butchering tenants an selling the meat. But Julie knows and must decide whether to expose her father to save Louison from being his next victim.

I think to properly review this film I would have to watch it another 10 times. There is so much going on here, and it is so strange and convoluted, that it is difficult to follow everything. The version I watched was in French with subtitles so first warning; stay away if you don't do subtitles. There is a plot to the film but it is minimal compared to everything else that happens which is primarily character development going in multiple directions at once. Cannibalism, sexual appetite, comedy, suspense, it has a bit of everything. I particularly enjoyed Aurore finding new ways to try and kill herself, the latex covered toilet plunger kidnappers traversing the walls, and the snail eating basement dweller.

Acting was good from most everyone considering the material and genre of the film. Dougnac was my favorite with good energy and expression.

Camera work was good but sets and backgrounds were awesome with excellent detail and creativity lending humor and oddity to the film while also providing good support. Special effects were minimal, mostly around costuming and sets.

Overall this is a very very strange film that will likely appeal to a very narrow audience with a very open mind. I don't recall any nudity but there was some mild foul language, implied sexuality and adult concepts. Save this one for older teens and above.