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JCVD (2008) Genre: Comedy / Crime / Drama Director: Mabrouk El Mechri Starring: Jean-Claude Van Damme, François Damiens, Zinedine Soualem, Karim Belkhadra,, Jean-François Wolff Running Time: 96 min. By: Mujtaba Mirza I first learnt about this film in a teaser trailer somewhere on YouTube and anxiously awaited information for when I would be able to see it in Canada. The day I heard it was being screened at the festival it was right on the top of my list for TIFF. Growing up in Pakistan, Van Damme was (and still is) one of the most famous action stars ever with the rare privilige of almost of all his 90's action films shown in film theatres across the country. After years of obscurity from the mainstream, Van Damme makes a return to the big screen in this feature playing a slightly fictionalized version of himself, hence the title JCVD. The film starts off with an explanation of what Van Damme has been up to over the years away from the spotlight. The opening fight scene starts things off with a bang with everything we have known and loved Van Damme for only to find at the end that he is being made to do this scene in one take for an upshot Hong Kong director which a 48 year old complains about to no avail. We then see how the actor wishes to branch out of the confines of the roles and films he has been doing yet he has to stick it out to pay his legal bill and IRS arrears. Van Damme is shown battling for the custody of his daughter in court where his film roles are set up as a character witness by the prosecution. In this grim situation, he decides to head back to his homeland, Belgium, on vacation and start over things again. While on his trip he gets stuck in a real life bank robbery and is taken hostage while the police by,mistake think it is Van Damme who is the culprit. What follows is set to explore the real Van Damme in this fictional situation. JCVD is definitely not an action film but the little action there is either sets to explore Van Damme in some or is used as humor. Van Damme without a doubt has proven his acting abilities in this film with not only his comedic timing but in the films more dramatic and emotional sequences. He essentaily has laid himself bare for all to see the way he feels and thinks, and goes on to talk about it all directly in the monologue without a doubt the centre piece of the movie. Perhaps my inexperience, but there are few cinematic moments to have moved me the way this monologue did. He talks about his view of the world, they way he felt about being celebrity, talks us through his professional and personal challenges. Van Damme couldn't be at the screening as he is currently in Thailand directing a new film. He did tape a short greeting specifically for the festival thanking everyone for coming out for the film. Director Marbouk el Machri revealed in the Q & A session afterwards that only 70% of the film was scripted while the rest was improvised. The pivotal monologue was called Scene X and was shot in one take. The director booked off two hours and had curtained off Van Damme from the rest of the crew since he is a shy person. This allowed Van Damme to add many of the issues he wanted to talk about without altering the script, said the director. Without a doubt the film has given me a new admiration of Van Damme. The director does a great job at showcasing Van Damme's acting abilities and the actor definitely uses the opportunity to show us a different side ofhow he is an ordinary man filled with fears contradictions and hopes. He particularly does well with comedy and overall comes off as self-deprecating, funny, honest, and sympathetic as both a character and a human being. The film clearly one of the few to stand out this year at the festival and stood up to all the hype and Van Damme looks set to make a comeback. I anxiously wait for Van Damme's next project. Overall its a highly recommended movie, Van Damme fan or not. JCVD will be in limited release in the US on November 7th while a date for a Canadian release is not yet known. |