This is a movie in 4 almost unrelated parts. It is overflowing with very dark irony and successfully mixing really funny bits with very dark situations, all the while proposing an original view of the afterlife.
Part 1: Nathan and Daniel died in a car accident. They more or less make peace with what happened to them and have to walk into the door to paradise or hell.
While in, I assume, purgatory or something, Nathan comes in contact with other dead people and see their stories (part 2 and 3).
Part 2: The delusions of a little girl that murdered her parents
Part 3: A woman that can't acknowledge her daughter killed herself.
Part 4: Nathan is lead to the next step of his afterlife.
Part 1 is incredibly good. There's a nice contrast between Daniel that already accepted his fate, and Nathan going through all the stages of grief. The discussion is full of very dark irony. It's depressing in its implications (seeing what can get you to hell) but also constantly funny, with some wtf moments (like the pickpocket). And it's an interesting take on how death happen, or rather what happens just after.
Part 2 is very very good too, however I had already seen it as it was released as a short before (Princesses do as they please).
Because of that I was a bit disappointed, specially as when I saw it the summary only mentioned the first part, and I expected a continuation of this story. But again, it is great. Story is original, the kid actress is impressive, it is so funny and dark at the same time.
https://trakt.tv/movies/princesses-do-as-they-please-2021-09-10
Part 3 is definitely not as good as the others. It is a lot less original. Her daughter killed herself, she regrets not listening to her and not spending more time with her, so she acts as if it didn't happen. Not really new, and the treatment is pretty basic.
It is also at the same time less dark, and less light than the other parts. The bullying part could be considered a bit dark, but nothing close to Part 2's little girl calmly telling her little sister that she's gonna die too. And it completely lack the mix of humour present in the other parts.
So even if it's correctly done and it fits in the thematic, it's really basic compared to the other parts.
After checking it is also a old short: https://trakt.tv/movies/plus-jamais-possible-2020 but I had not seen it before.
Part 4 is what I expected the whole movie to be in the beginning: what happens next to Nathan. It is again very funny, and very dark, while proposing an original angle on hell.
The very last bit could be an opening to a follow up ? Not sure, but if it's not it feels a bit useless (what's the point of sending a huge demon to take care of a baby? and why the mention ofantechrist ?).
Well, the two unrelated stories being just inserts of the director's previous shorts is a bit disappointing. In the end the new material is also only a short. Was it really worth packing three shorts together just to release a full feature ? Not sure. But anyway the material is really good and most people won't have seen the shorts beforehand so they won't realize it.
I must say a full length feature on either Part 1 or 2 would be worth it.
Shout by GuzzBlockedParent2024-06-02T01:22:04Z
The movie starts off great, mysterious, atmospheric and very intriguing, then it goes into anthology format, where there are stories that are also good, but which don't connect to the main one, and everything ends up being very loose. The main idea could result in something great, but here it doesn't develop well, and it gets more and more lost as it reaches its conclusion.