Some things I didn't like about Holy Motors - Carax's 'humour' on some occasions, like the cliche of a cliche that is the fashion photographer, crying "beauty, beauty!" Kylie's song - although viewed as a nearly-song, or a song trying to construct itself, to figure out what it itself means, it's quite interesting. The fact that of course it would get a standing ovation at Cannes because it's cinema about cinema for people who are utterly invested in cinema. I mean I know that sometimes what a painting tells you most about is painting, and so why not have a painting say "I am a painting about painting"... but I think my level of investment in cinema is less than in music, which sometimes means I have a less problematic relationship with it (and also means I can sometimes enjoy it more). So occasionally I caught myself thinking "come on, it's just cinema" (which to be fair, Carax also says, in the death scene).
What I did like about it is those moments where you experience a giddy lightness, "la beauté du geste", as it's referred to in the film. Merde's scenes with Eva Mendes - there I found myself placed in the position of trying too hard "read" Carax, but just Merde on a rampage - yes, I could have watched that for even longer. The motion capture scene - Carax is clearly making a point, perhaps a little too hard by actually showing us the CGI at the end in its almost sublime crapness. But what precedes it is actually wonderful, it absolutely knocks your Hollywood 'visionaries' like James Cameron and Ridley Scott into a cocked hat. And then there's the musical interlude.
Holy Motors is a paradoxical attempt to re-enchant cinema by musing on its death, or its afterlife. As it happens, I'm going through a break-up at the moment, while still living with my partner. The funny thing there is that with the decision taken, our relationship, in its afterlife, has become re-enchanted. With the pressure off, and knowing that our time together like this is limited, we've actually rediscovered the pleasure and even the joy of each other's company. A lightness I thought was lost has crept back in. Almost to the point where you think "are we doing the right thing?" But we wouldn't be here if we hadn't taken the decision, if we hadn't decided it was over.
Obviously I thought about this after watching Holy Motors. Has the film helped my personal situation? Probably as much as my personal situation helped my appreciation of the film. Not much, hardly at all even, but that's still not a bad arrangement.
