Check Out the Trailer

Based on the true story of Elle magazine editor Jean-Dominique Bauby, this daring biopic tries to bring us into the body of a man who suffers from locked-in syndrome. After suffering from a stroke, Bauby could only move one eye. His mental state was completely in tact, but his physical abilities were completely lost. He would overcome great odds with his patient nurse and assistant to blink out this biography one letter at a time.

Director Julian Schnabel (BEFORE NIGHT FALLS) makes the bold choice of filming a great deal of the early segments of the film from the point of view of Bauby. The technique wears out its welcome from time to time, but does bring the audience into the same frustration that Bauby must have felt. If a person moves out of the view of his good eye, he can’t simply shift his head to see them, and that’s how we see things. After awhile, Schnabel moves away from this style and films the drama in more traditional ways, especially in the flashbacks and fantasy scenes where we get glimpses of Bauby’s past and desires.

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With the 15th anniversary edition of GROUNDHOG DAY arriving on DVD this week, the first thing that came to mind was that the film was one of the best modern comedies… and it’s smart too. So this week’s lineup is dedicated to five smart comedies. Along with Harold Ramis’ best film, we have two classics and two recent underrated comedies. Prepare to laugh without having to shut down your cerebral cortex.

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