Can/Fr/Belg 2002
Director: Sylvain Chomet
Score: *****

Cutesy and adorable characters are replaced by often obese and grotesque figures in Quebecois Sylvain Chomet’s fascinating and imaginative new animated flick that has deservedly been nominated for the upcoming Academy Award for Best Animated feature alongside Finding Nemo and (yes- ugh!) Brother Bear.  From the film’s first sequence, which pays tribute to the old Felix the Cat and Betty Boop type TV cartoons, the film gets better and better, finally ending in a hilarious bicycle/limo chase through the streets of imaginary Belleville.

The marvel of it all is that this foreign film goes without subtitles.  Yet, the complicated plot involving the granny training Champion (the grandson) for le tour de France, the abduction of the three cyclists, her heroic rescue with the faithful dog in the city of Belleville, the encounter with the singing ‘triplets’ is simple and intriguing enough to follow.  The film’s charm derives from Chomet’s grand imagination.  The cyclist wind-vane changing direction in the wind and the slowing down of the train each time it passes the cottage window, so that the faces of the passengers can be seen by Bruno, the dog particularly stand out.  But it is the colours (often yellowish brown), caricatures of real-life figures and dark shadowy city with the slanted buildings that give the film is characteristic look.  Art director Evgeni Tomov claims to have got his inspiration from Caro and Jeunet’s Delicatessen and City of Lost Children.  And it shows.

Les Triplettes was also nominated for best song and with reason.  Leaving the cinema, the catchy tune Belleville Rendezvous stays in the head for at least a day or two.  Les Triplettes is not to be missed for its sheer achievement!

Some points to note. The North American title goes as THE TRIPLETS OF BELLEVILLE and the British title Belleville Rendez-vous.  In Canada, this film only just opened a few weeks back while the U.S and Britain were fortunate to have it played since last year.  And if you were in London or Dublin during the festive season, BBC2 played the entire film on prime time at 9 pm Christmas Day.

Review by Gilbert Seah