A pleasingly surreal, but narratively overdrawn treatise on political inefficiency with an all star cast, a large mysterious brain, and mummified bog people, Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, and Galen Johnson’s Rumours is creative, but also pushing the limits of how far a single joke can be taken.
Rumours takes place amid a gathering of G7 world leaders in Germany, where the theme of this year’s summit is “regret.” In typical fashion, these figureheads of the world’s largest democracies speak lovingly of their accomplishments, draft meaningless speeches, and pat each other on the back. But when drafting their latest “resolution” while dining at a gazebo on a lavish estate in the forest, something strange happens and the leaders are left abandoned, alone, and to their own devices to figure out what’s going on.
The tandem of Canadian weirdo icon Maddin (Keyhole, My Winnipeg) with the Johnsons (who previously collaborated on The Green Fog and The Forbidden Room) has produced some memorably strange and poignant works of cinema. But while Rumours has some smarts to it and goes the extra mile to craft complex personalities out of characters that could’ve been one note signifiers for larger issues, this is essentially a one joke movie pushed to a near breaking point. It’s nothing new to say that world leaders talk a good game but produce little results, but the entirety of Rumours hinges on hitting that same note time and time again, which admittedly grows tiresome, no matter how witty the jabs.
But the difference between Rumours being a rare misfire for the filmmakers and being fun to watch comes down to their sense of style and the efforts of a stacked ensemble cast. Rumours makes great use of soft focus cinematography, creative effects, and evocative lighting to cast the woodlands come in lavender hazes and fogs. It’s a great playground for the likes of Cate Blanchett (as the German chancellor and host), Roy Dupuis (as the embattled, lovelorn Canadian PM), Charles Dance (as the self-important, hilariously old US president), and standout Denis Ménochet (as the whiny French leader), and the filmmakers have given each of their actors plenty of quirks and history to pull from. It’s the little character touches that ultimately elevate Rumours and make it worthwhile.
Monday, September 9, 2024 – Royal Alexandra Theatre – 8:30 pm
Tuesday, September 10, 2024 – Scotiabank Theatre 2 – 4:30 pm
Rumours is currently scheduled for theatrical release in Canada on Friday, October 18, 2024.
