Best of 2012: Leos Carax's Holy Motors

Holy Motors
2012, France/Germany
Leos Carax

A lot of people have a lot of things to say about Leos Carax's Holy Motors, his first feature film in thirteen years following Pola X. I strangely do not. It was my most anticipated film of 2012, and it probably couldn't have ever lived up to my impossible expectations of it... but it's still quite good and certainly one of the notable films of 2012. It also continues the dynamic partnership between Carax and his cinematic proxy, Denis Lavant, which was rekindled in the short Carax made for the omnibus film Tôkyô! They were also both seen onscreen in Harmony Korine's Mister Lonely.

 

As always, Lavant is mesmerizing through each episode and character, and he's given fine support by Édith Scob as his chauffeuse (the Eyes Without a Face nod was appreciated), Kylie Minogue as his sullen ex-flame (light years -- pun not intended -- past her ill-fated cinematic endeavors of the 1990s), Eva Mendes as a supermodel held captive by M. Merde, the troll-ish figure from Tôkyô!, Elisa Lhomeau as one of Lavant's scene partners, and Jeanne Disson (from Tomboy) as his angsty teenage daughter.

With: Denis Lavant, Édith Scob, Kylie Minogue, Eva Mendes, Elise Lhomeau, Jeanne Disson, Michel Piccoli, Leos Carax