«An evening with Beverly Luff Linn», an evening of extravagant tenderness

Neuchâtel International Fantastic Film Festival (NIFFF) - Virginia Eufemi

Jim Hosking returns to NIFFF for the second time - after The Greasy Strangler in 2016 - with a comedy flashy and disco. An evening with Berverly Luff Linn features Lulu (Aubrey Plaza), a young American woman married to Shane Danger (Emile Hirsch), the failed manager of a coffee shop shabby. This man and his employees organize an improbable and hilarious poaching at his wife's Indian brother's vegan store. But when a strange fellow named Colin (Jemaine Clement), hired by Lulu's brother, tries to collect the money, Lulu flees with him, intending to attend the magic show put on by Beverly Luff Linn (Craig Robinson). «Who the hell is Beverly Luff Linn?.

This crazy, zany comedy is brought to life by brilliant actors who don't hesitate to make fools of themselves to amuse the gallery. While the humor may be childish at times, its deliberately cheesy edge helps to set the mood. seventies The director's mastery of the offbeat. So we're willing to forgive the film its awkward moments, because this comedy is above all a beautiful love story.

A world of love and humour

Between wigs, cups of tea and sweet cocktails, touching and endearing characters emerge. The beautiful and charming Lulu, trying to heal the wounds of the past, is a woman who decides to take her destiny into her own hands. As for the other characters, we'll say no more to let you discover their hidden tenderness.

Beyond the script, the set is carefully constructed and the costumes almost become a character in their own right. The setting is polished, despite these ill-considered characters, and pastel tones dominate. Jim Hosking undeniably plunges us into a suspended universe, an absurd microcosm that nonetheless makes perfect sense.

The audience is quickly captivated by the story, as evidenced by the fact that last night's audience at Les Arcades often interacted with the screen, applauding, laughing and reacting to comic scenes and character actions. We're quickly taken in, sharing the emotions of the little world of this crazy universe. The atmosphere, the music and the acting create a strange attraction that makes us accept the absurdity of certain moments, perhaps because it underlines the strong humanity of these characters.

For a magical evening with Beverly Luff Linn, come to NIFFF on Friday, July 13.

[table id=7 /]

Write to the author : virginia.eufemi@leregardlibre.com

Photo credit: © NIFFF