The Kidnapping of Michel Houellebecq
Only unmasked kidnappers spell trouble
Only unmasked kidnappers spell trouble
Comedy, Drama
-
2014
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In September 2011 writer Michel Houellebecq briefly disappeared off the face of the earth. Wild rumours began circulating on the Internet that he’d been abducted by Al-Qaeda or aliens from outer space. Some Twitter users even expressed relief that the controversial author was suddenly no longer around. This film now reveals what really happened: Three tough guys variously with impressive hairstyles and bodybuilder physiques carried off the star intellectual, taking him out of the daily stress of dodging autograph hunters and having his flat renovated and bringing him to a beautiful rural underdog idyll, full of dog grooming, bodybuilding demonstrations, junk cars and Polish sausages. But who was to pay the ransom?
Director:
Cast:
Same Director
Details
Rated:
N/A
Runtime:
92 min
Release date:
27 Aug 2014
Country:
FR
Languages:
German, French, Polish
Budget:
$0
Revenue:
$0
Awards:
1 win & 4 nominations.
Top Critics Reviews
rotten:
A fans- and detractors-only affair. At its worst, it feels like a highbrow transgressive-celebrity-cameo skit.
– Ignatiy Vishnevetsky,
AV Club,
26 Mar 2015
fresh:
Hilarious, full of humor that is understated, wry and dependent on familiarity with interests as wide as Houellebecq's own.
– Farran Smith Nehme,
New York Post,
25 Mar 2015
fresh:
The Houellebecq we see on screen is obviously rooted as much in fiction as in fact, yet what makes his performance so fascinating is the mischievous glee he takes in sending up his own persona.
– Melissa Anderson,
Village Voice,
24 Mar 2015
fresh:
A divertingly eccentric, often comically absurd movie about a novelist ... who finds something like happiness after being abducted.
– Manohla Dargis,
New York Times,
24 Mar 2015
fresh:
A playful blurring of fact and fiction.
– Stephen Dalton,
Hollywood Reporter,
23 Mar 2015