Paul Kircher shines brightly in Un Certain Regard’s best-kept powerhouse Meteors, where two souls in unspoken alliance and dissonant rhythms immerse into the geometry of cause and effect.
Stony Stone’s “Vingt ans” (ft. Zamdane) blasts at the corners of the room as we watch two spirited young adults vibing seamlessly while cleaning up the physical mess around them. It’s a radical shift they’ve promised each other — to secure a brighter tomorrow, they placed their trust in the very foundation of their indestructible pledge. Smiles elevate, illumination sparkles, bonds quadruple — a liberation. But like all carefully arranged plans, reality refuses to play nice — especially for them, as it twists into something far harsher.
Mika (Paul Kircher), a positively conscious adult, shares a special friendship bond with Daniel (Idir Azougli), a free-willed, directionless individual struggling with alcoholism. They have a mutual friend, Tony (Salif Cissé), the successful one — working in a nuclear company and seemingly ahead of them. Like many young adults, they lived for adventure — chasing trouble with a drink in hand, determined to squeeze every drop of discovery from their youth.
However, the line between freedom and freefall had always been invisible for Daniel — until he stepped over it. On one such occasion, Mika and Daniel land in serious trouble, resulting in a court ruling. Two devastating setbacks shake them awake — an enormous fine to pay and the dreadful news that Daniel’s alcoholism has pushed him to the brink of death. The decision to find a job at Tony’s workplace falls on them as a last resort — a bid to escape ongoing misery. But a far greater setback awaits them, mercilessly.
Director Hubert Charuel, who gave us the critically acclaimed Bloody Milk (Petit paysan) at 2017 Critics’ Week, aims to make us uncomfortable with the nuances in his films — and he does so again here. Typical youthful atrocities are covered, where challenges are embraced as adventure, oscillating between craving the spotlight and chasing the adrenaline of reckless choices. Yet not everyone falls into the same pit — like Mika, who is progressive-minded and becomes a guardian, a savior for Daniel, whom he adores and values as a friend.
Paul Kircher plays the role brilliantly, expressing every layer of human emotion — releasing it seamlessly through tragic fear, heartfelt sorrow, and immense anger. The Animal Kingdom (2023) star is emerging as a major talent in the current film circuit, sharing screen time with Anamaria Vartolomei.
A fascinating aspect is how director Charuel, in collaboration with Claude Le Pape, introduces sudden dangers and hopeful turns in parallel — balancing each other through a stimulating technique that creates a claustrophobic impression, haunting and resonant. Its complexity astonishes — like wavering, reflective thoughts met with a therapeutic answer amidst the mayhem.
Speaking of reflective thoughts, the film drenches viewers in provocative questions that resist easy answers, leaving room for individual interpretation: How safe are radioactive dumping sites today, and do they actually guarantee leak-free storage, despite the thresholds allowed by law? Why does anxiety manifest as nightmares for those trying to do the right thing for the betterment of their peers? Does honesty actually strengthen bonds, or loosen them completely? Do monetary rewards encourage persistence — or do they lure people into negative consequences? How successful are individuals in large businesses if their work puts them at major risk? Do harsh court rulings help troubled individuals build better futures — or the opposite? Charuel and Le Pape stack these disturbing questions like a staircase of qualms, bewildering us with new perspectives and unimaginable consequences.
Un Certain Regard selection Meteors is a trailblazing, soul-stirring film that tests and explores friendship and the many facets of risk and consequence, exploding in dissonant rhythms and vivid color. The sociopolitical backdrop of rural dumpsite communities — treated as disposable — is accounted for in all its vulnerability. And so too is the value of human life in places where imperfect saviors defy the odds in a crumbling world. Charuel and Le Pape cry out through their depiction of illegal environmental threats and occupational diseases — silent killers among workers, or anyone, really.
At its core, the film celebrates the strength of unshakeable bonds reaching toward the light, despite a maze that morphs into darker games. It is both mesmeric and visceral. Gradually, it leaves us speechless, our hearts heavy, probing the silence.
As the credits roll, you may want to remain seated — to absorb the magic of what you’ve just witnessed and to reflect on the harsh realities that demand lasting change.
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