Review

This is probably the most bizarre movie I have seen. It is an inventive treat, set in a 1960's Jetsons-inspired futurama but set 40 years in the future. There are robot maids, sexbots, flying cars, cloned dogs, in-house drone cameras and voice commands galore.

The setup is incredibly manic. You have to deal with the eccentric world-building mentioned above, in stark contrast with the leading lady’s penchant for the classical, such as books or old objects such as a slinky or Rubix cube. Throw in a daughter, a new lover and his son, an ex-husband and his trophy girlfriend, and a neighbour – there is a lot going on. Oh, not to mention the robots are trying to take over, locking the doors and turning up the heat (literally) while a fascist robotic coup is happening outside.

Once you get past the onslaught of the setup, there is a disconnect between the world-building and the characters we're watching. They seem much more concerned with their relationship troubles to worry much about the robot uprising.

The set design is wonderfully ornate and the range of robotic designs is impressive. However, a lot of the characterisation feels like a caricature. Once you get passed the farce, the conclusion is quite fun – but the cuteness can't save the unfortunate mess of a movie.

All of this comes from the wacky mind of Jean-Pierre Jeunet who is no stranger to bizarre movies, such as Micmacs and The City of Lost Children. But they fail to balance the whimsical fun and heart as successfully as Amélie. If you're a fan of his goofy movies, then at least watch this for more of the same.