The French movies are taking over the world

The Triplets of Belleville (2003)

I don't know what has changed in France, but I do know that for the past decade, they have been making the most interesting movies. I'm not just talking about the artsy-fartsy, Truffaut-like stuff for which they are deservedly famous, either. Even their modern thrillers are better than American thrillers. If you don't believe me, go check out the movie Tell No One (Ne le dis a personne). I had no idea the French could make good suspenseful action movies. The Triplets of Belleville shows that not even the animated world is safe from French domination.

The first time I saw this movie, I fell in love with it immediately. Watching it Thursday, it was clear to me that my love has only grown stronger. The film is just so adorable and cute, in a strange and quirky way. Set in France,The movie starts off with a woman who is desperately trying to find something that her sad grandson will take an interest in. His parents are dead, seemingly due to World War II. She finally finds its in bike riding, likely steered in that direction when she notices his only connection to his dead parents is a picture of them on a bicycle. His love for it develops into a freaky obsession, wanting even at that very young age to be the best bicyclist in the world. She is right behind him every step of the way, pushing him in his grueling training every single day, willingly giving up her whole life to help him achieve his dream. The more I watch this movie, the more I wonder if part of her isn't perhaps, in some way, pushing this obsession on him. Either way, it is clear that in the entire world, he cares only about three things: his grandmother, his dog, and riding bicycles, not necessarily in that order. When he is an adult, she is still there pushing him every step of the way when he enters the Tour de France. But, disaster strikes when he is kidnapped by dangerous henchmen who force him and two others into a deadly, and extremely weird, gambling scheme. With his dog along for the ride, the grandmother sets off on a long search to rescue him.

This all sounds fairly straightforward, but this one of the most surreal movies I have ever seen. First off, there is just so much character to the movie. Every single character, including the dog, is fully developed, with interesting and sometimes hilarious quirks. One of my favorites is the dog, who is completely obsessed with barking at any train that goes by a window he is near through the entire film. He also has wonderful dreams where he is floating on an ocean being waited on by his owner.

My absolute favorite characters, though, are the Triplets of Belleville, three singers who start off the movie performing in a small musical hall during the 1930s; Fred Astaire even makes an appearance in the only professional performance in the film. I cannot convey how wonderful and thrilling the song they sing is. It has stuck with me all these years. After their performance, they disappear from the movie until the desperate grandmother searching for her grandson runs into them on a street corner. She starts using her son's bicycle wheel, which she carries with her, as a musical instrument, and they pop up singing that wonderful title song. They help her in her journey to rescue the kidnapped bicyclist. There are no words to describe how completely strange they are, in an absolutely delightful way. I love them. Their method of finding food is one of the funniest moments in film history I have ever seen.

Above all else, though, this movie is about a devoted grandmother who will do absolutely anything to get her grandson back. It permeates the film, and is so profoundly sweet. Even before I saw the end note where the filmmaker dedicates the film to his mother, it was plain that this was an ode to mothers everywhere who will do anything to make their sons happy and keep them safe no matter the cost. The movie is completely surreal, especially in how the characters' bodies defy logic, not to mention the theory of gravity, but I accepted it so easily because the message was so heartfelt.

I must also add that the most surprising part of this movie is that I didn't notice the first time that there is very little dialogue; no more than ten or so lines, and most of it is from radio news broadcasts. The characters are so expressive that it is clear what they are thinking, even the dog. Plus, the music was so wonderful that it felt like it was all the dialogue that was needed.

I recommend this movie to absolutely everyone, though I think it will appeal to adults much more to children.