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If it helps to give a flavour of what to expect from this marvellous film it is worth saying at the outset that it will put you in mind of a later work by Jacques Tati. This is not because of anything as obvious as a Hulot character, but rather because of a way of regarding the world. An example: near the beginning all the morning commuters throw their cigarettes on the platform before boarding a train, the train moves off, a cleaner comes into shot, sweeps the platform clean of cigarette stubs, moves out of shot and we then watch the train until it goes out of sight around a bend. It sounds simple, but to tread the line between direction and naturalism as deftly as Iosseliani does here requires patience, (an increasingly rare commodity in today’s world of hyperactive camerawork), a subtle eye and a vision of the world that sees hope and quiet humour in the rather used beauty around it.


The plot is simple - one day Vincent decides to go to Venice instead of going to work, and we follow him there. The wonder of the film lies in its observation of people and their interaction with places and in its inclusiveness of vision. It is also in its own way a quiet celebration of Venice, its people and its canals.

This is a peaceful and pleasing film, living in the present but always moving on to the next moment. Refreshing, rewarding and lovely, Monday Morning deserves all the praise it gets.

 

Graeme Hobbs on 28th April 2003
View all 261 of Graeme Hobbs's reviews

Perfectly realised and natural filmmaking. At times sublime (a paintbrush touching sun-dappled water) and as simple or as complex as the human condition. more >

Perfectly realised and natural filmmaking. At times sublime (a paintbrush touching sun-dappled water) and as simple or as complex as the human condition. < less

View all 17 of Paul Scott’s reviews

 

This beautifully observed, witty comedy of manners has an unassuming hero (Jacques Bidou) tiring of the monotonous life of his home village and travelling to Venice. T... more >

This beautifully observed, witty comedy of manners has an unassuming hero (Jacques Bidou) tiring of the monotonous life of his home village and travelling to Venice. The understated humour and sharp performances are spot-on < less

View all 512 of Barry Forshaw’s reviews

 

If you expect to find genius at the level of Tati in this film then you will be disappointed. Much of the time you can understand what Iosseliani is trying to achieve ... more >

If you expect to find genius at the level of Tati in this film then you will be disappointed. Much of the time you can understand what Iosseliani is trying to achieve but too often it doesn't quite come off. For example, he makes a theme of the fact that many people smoke but officialdom tells them that they can't do it. In the few feet between getting off the no-smoking bus and entering the no-smokng factory virtually all the workers light up, then immediately have to put their cigarette out before entering the factory gate. Within the factory there are little cameos of individuals having a clandestine fag only for the white-coated official to tell them to stop. Its mildly amusing once, but it gets repeated too often. The theatricality and mime skills of Tati might have made it work but in Monday Morning the acting is too wooden.

The relationships between the characters are very two-dimensionsal and the interview with the director, available as one of the optional extras on the DVD, explains why. "Everything on earth ends badly", he says and this philosphy pervades much of the film. Indeed I recommend that you do not watch the interview since it only serves to depress.

Monday Morning is a film that doesn't suspend disbelief and carry you into the story; rather you find yourself analysing what's good, what's bad, what is the director trying to do with this scene or that dialogue, whether its working or not, and where is the whole thing going.

That said, I quite enjoyed the slow pace of the film, its celebration of ordinary people and its lingering shots of Venice. The camera work, lighting and use of colour are in places excellent. < less