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RUMOURS

Starring: Cate Blanchett, Charles Dance, Denis Ménochet, Alicia Vikander, Roy Dupuis, Takehiro Hira, Rolando Ravello, and Zlatko Buric
Directors: Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, and Galen Johnson

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NICK

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As far as political satires go, Rumours is among my favourite, conceptually speaking. The directing team of Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, and Galen Johnson fill the opening hour with clever jokes and visual gags, all of which is brought to life via a very solid ensemble, highlighted by Roy Dupuis (pure coincidence he plays the Canadian Prime Minister). However, after that first hour, things run out of steam as the clever intricacies are replaced by a more ridiculous tone. Although this worked for a film like Triangle of Sadness (which, coincidentally, also features Zlatko Buric), it works against things here.

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ADRIANO

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I'll always respect a swing for the fences, but you gotta have something to back those swings up. Rumours doesn't have that. I liked the ensemble, and it got some laughs out of me, but it pretty quickly falls off its central concept. Then, the laughter begins to trickle out, and the movie becomes utter nonsense. Its commentary on world leaders' incompetency is lazy, and for a movie with three directors, one of which is the seasoned Guy Maddin, it feels a lot like a student film. Rumours is just a really bad movie, plain and simple.

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QUENTIN

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As a political satire, Rumours is certainly clever, but probably a little too smart for its own good. It requires a certain level of winking, “if you know, you know” awareness, and I’m not sure audiences lacking a general knowledge about geopolitical reputations will get a lot of the jokes present in this surreal sci-fi comedy. That awareness is the difference between a movie worth your time and a movie that is merely a mildly amusing diversion. No complaints about the cast, though, all of whom are game for the B-movie weirdness happening on screen.

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PAIGE

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Rumours is an over-the-top satire on global politics that becomes less effective and less funny as it goes along. While it does have some fun with its campy camera work, ominous music, and bombastic performances, the script is a mess, and its stereotypical depictions of these political leaders are very one note. Having three directors helming the project kept the movie from being cohesive, as it veers off course while failing to make any kind of point. This absurd film runs out of steam fairly quickly and is pretty forgettable.

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This film was reviewed by Quentin, Nick, and Adriano as part of Bitesize Breakdown's coverage of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and 2024 Toronto International Film Festival, respectively.

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