Since the release of Rubber back in 2010, the name Quentin Dupieux became synonymous with experimental cinema. Apparently, you cannot make a film about a living tire with psychic powers named Robert without creating a name for yourself as a master of nonsense. Dupieux worked hard to keep the title, developing an enviable collection of films that explores the limits of the human capacity to find meaning in even the most ludicrous stories. Incredible but True is the latest movie by Dupieux, and just like its predecessors, it offers an absurd narrative that’s equally funny and relevant. Unfortunately, by trying to create a movie that’s more accessible to the public in general, Incredible but True loses some of the Dupieux magic we came to love in the past two decades.
Just as in previous Dupieux films, Incredible but True presents a preposterous idea right from the start, only to explore how the people involved in a surreal situation would act. Incredible but True starts when Alain (Alain Chabat) and Marie (Léa Drucker) decide to buy a new house. The couple searches for a cozy home where they can grow old together, but they end up choosing a place too big for themselves due to the fantastic thing they find in the basement. While revealing what they find would spoil the surprise, it suffices to say that Incredible but True deals with this wild concept as an undeniable truth right from the start. As the real estate agent (Stéphane Pézerat) warns the couple and the public at the same time, life is what it is, so it’s best if we just accept it and enjoy the ride.
Alain and Marie's incredible but very real house is not the only bizarre element Dupieux brings to his new movie, as another couple also has their own unbelievable news to share. Soon after Alain and Marie move to their new place, they host a dinner party with Alain’s boss, Gérard (Benoît Magimel), and his girlfriend, Jeanne (Anaïs Demoustier). During the meal, Gérard reveals he has acquired a shocking piece of technology, completely unrelated to Alain and Marie’s basement, but with similar purposes.
Incredible but True will explore Marie and Gérard's obsession with their new tools, each giving away all they have for keeping the illusion they can fight against the passing of time. It’s obvious right from the start that Incredible but True is a movie about ageism and society’s irrational cult of eternal youth. By being very clear about what his new movie wants to tell, Dupieux makes sure that anyone can understand Incredible but True's message. However, while this strategy is more welcoming to the public, it also drains Incredible but True from its potential mystery.
What makes movies such as Dupieux’s Deerskin so interesting is that we can always come back to it with new readings, peeling away at its many layers and uncovering new secrets in its rich symbolism. Incredible but True, on the other hand, gets straight to the point, and while advocating for the normalization of old age is commendable, Incredible but True is never as impactful as previous Dupieux films.
Besides that, Incredible but True never reaches the comedic heights of Dupieux’s best movies. The director’s latest release, Mandibles, also has a more straightforward approach. Even so, Mandibles embraces the nonsense of its story with such pride that the result is nothing short of hilarious. Incredible but True feels trapped between the will to discuss an important social issue and make fun of it, and ends up doing neither as well as it could.
Despite its issues, Incredible but True remains a fascinating entry in Dupieux's filmography. Even the fact that the movie’s biggest flaws are the fruit of the high expectations set by Dupieux’s previous works should be a testament to how the filmmaker remains one of the most creative voices in French cinema. Dupieux has a special talent for extracting all he can from the cast, and Incredible but True is no different. Despite the movie’s short duration, we can still understand every character's motivations, thanks to the nuanced acting from the entire cast. Incredible but True also never outstays its welcome, with a tight runtime of 74 minutes that’s more than enough to lead its uncanny story to its natural end.
All in all, Incredible but True remains an unmissable movie for Dupieux fans. And for those worried about getting lost in the filmmaker’s passion for nonsense, the movie might be his most accessible work yet.
Rating: B-
Incredible but True does not have a release date in North America yet.