Foutaises

Foutaises (1989)

*** (out of 4)

Clever seven minute short from director Jean-Pierre Jeunet has a man talking about the things he likes and the things he hates.

That's pretty much all of the "story" here but Jeunet does a very good job at telling it in a rather clever and fun way. Basically we see the man say what he likes or doesn't like and then we get an example of it. There's some funny stuff here including the reaction once he pulls out a nose hair. For the most part there's nothing ground-breaking here but the film is still quite good and it will at least keep you entertained throughout its running time.

"Foutasies" is one of the best short films I have ever seen, the real basis for watching further Jeunet films. A part of the world that this innovative director creates in this film is later developed in Amelie, so if you liked Amelie, you will like Foutasies as well. In this movie, the director gives you an insight to all likes and dislikes of the protagonist (played beautifully by Pinon) but in a very imaginative well-structured order. While we see Pinon's enjoyments and nightmares in black and white, Jeunet gives fine- crafted representations of innocence of children, fears etc, summarizing them all in a delightful ending. In these 8 minutes of duration, Jeunet will manage to pass a very innocent feeling of joy to you and an instant smile on your face.