Chaos (2001) Reviews

• Par Excellence

  stedrazed2003-07-15

  It's funny; the two best films I've seen this year (sadly, CHAOS has only just made it to the Midwest United States in 2003), are both from France. Not only that, but none of the American films I've seen thus far even come close to this or Gaspar Noe's IRREVERSIBLE. Maybe we should rethink that stupid freedom fries thing and go seek out some real culture. CHAOS is a great film, a film that wastes no time. It starts with a bang when an Algerian prostitute named Noemie begs for a ride from Paul and his wife Helene as they drive by the scene of her merciless beating at the hands of three pimps. Paul locks the doors and, after the pimps have gone, leaving Noemie unconscious, gets out of the car only to wipe the windshield clean of the inconvenient blood Noemie has spilled upon it. A perfect opening to this film, showing the frailty of women at the hands of dominating men, and the inhumanity and selfishness of said men. As a human of the male persuasion myself, I was surprised to not feel any resentment toward the film's representation of manhood. It does not try to convince the viewer that all men are like this; just all the men in this film. At the same time, many men might feel uncomfortable at the incisiveness of the film's characterizations. At one point Helene says, "Not all men are bastards"; Noemie merely shrugs and smirks ever so slightly. It is more telling than a thousand words.

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• The most fun I've had at a movie in a LONG time

  talltale-12003-11-15

  CHAOS is a melodrama, yes, indeed. But when melodramas are this much fun--this exciting, socially aware, funny, heartfelt, just plain interesting and oh-so-pertinent to our world today, we should only have more of them this good. As a fan of writer/director Coline Serreau since her POURQUOI PAS?, I was still unprepared for how terrific this new film is. Actors Vincent Lindon and Catherine Frot are wonderful, as usual, but it's newcomer Rachida Brakni who is stunning from first to last. The story, which begins with an auto accident, never lets up its tension and grows more complicated and intriguing as it proceeds. If, as some have said, CHAOS is anti-men, the men in this film certainly deserve their raspberries. Further, the movie should be "must" viewing for Islamic families around the world. While I would stake my life on the fact that not all Muslim families are as male-dominated by lunkheads as is the family shown here, still--the Islamic world must eventually come to terms with its women and their liberation, if they and the rest of us are to prosper. CHAOS is must-viewing for so many reasons, I can't begin to count them here. Rent it as soon as you can.

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• Great Movie

  casympa2003-01-25

  I saw this movie in Paris last year (2001). It is a delight. It maintains a modicum of comedy around a very violent and wrenching subject. It begins with a young prostitute fleeing for her life after practically being killed from a beating. France has a large Arab population. The young lady happens to be Arabic. This film plays on this clash of cultures and also plays on the clash between the sexes. I highly recommend it.

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• Startling and brilliant

  nini_ten2004-06-22

  To say that this movie is a feminist movie wouldn't be fair, because even though only the women in the film are triumphs, whether it's a female or male character they're all honestly wrote. This movie could've been more of a strict screwball bourgouis comedy if it weren't for the character Noemie. I think the movie brilliantly creates 2 kinds of tones coming from 2 different modern female oppresions, one is the female oppressed by the world most of us are more familiar with, enslaved in her family and chores, the other is the female oppresed by lowest depths of tragedy, enslaved in prostitution and old Algerian society. It doesn't leave out neither of their stories. Combined, the movie becomes an exuberant and hilarious revenge story with uncompromising edge, providing also a constant study of values in modern life. But most of all it's a very juicy plot, a lot of suspense and comedy going on, and it's nice that all the supporting roles have a real and entertaining place in the story too. the result is very thrilling, it can make a woman righteously feel less serious about romance, because it seems to provide a lot factual observations towards man/woman relationships, for example Noemies key tactic in making a man insanely in love with her is by being unattainable, and that seems to work the other way around for men too like Fabrice, at least in the beginning. The fact is, in the movie, romantic love seems a little lame, a little silly, yet they all ring true, which is I think the most triumphant achievement for writer/director Coline Serreau. I think this movie even transcends screwball comedies, particularly the Depardieu or Auteuil ones, whereas those are only charming and satirically not interesting enough, this movie really makes you care and cheer with it, rather than grin and think it's cute. Overall this movie is really fantastic, I can understand why Meryl Streep wants to play the main character, the choice seems to match her kind of ambition and attitude and I hope Coline Serreau can pull the Hollywood one off well too.

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• Girls Gone Wild

  brenttraft2007-07-12

  This movie was sent to me by accident because there are several movies with the title "Chaos." As it turns out, I absolutely loved this film! This is definitely not a movie for everybody. It is really quirky and some people are not going to understand the humor. If you read some of the other reviews, some people don't even realize this is a funny movie. It is certainly not a funny subject. A middle class couple stand by as a prostitute is beaten up. Later, the woman tries to make amends by tending to the victim, who turns out had been sold into sex slavery. Despite that, it is actually really funny. It ends up being about a war of the sexes and female empowerment. The movie looks like it was shot on video, but it looks great. It also has a real jazzy soundtrack. All the acting is good and the characters are engaging. You like the good ones and hate the bad ones. If you like real off beat, quirky films, you should see this French version of "Chaos."

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