Something in the Air, 2012.
Written and Directed by Olivier Assayas.
Starring Clément Métayer, Lola Créton, Felix Armand, Carole Combes, India Menuez and Hugo Conzelmann.
SYNOPSIS:
An 18-year-old man reacts to the social changes of late 1960’s Europe.
Something in the Air initially presents us with an idyllic version of French student life in the 70s, much like how Bertolucci’s The Dreamers handled the 60s. Idealistic young people discuss politics at heated length, taking to action against the oppressive state in rousingly-executed sequences, while living bohemian lifestyles where artistic expression is paramount. Of course socialism is the young person’s political trend of choice. But, as it would come to be in the turbulent 70s, Olivier Assayas’ film gives way to disillusionment. His film builds up the myth of an era ripe with potential for change, then demolishes it in front of our eyes.
In one scene, a character declares that he’s glad an innocent kid got assaulted in a riot for the reason that he was apolitical, but for a film centred on countercultural leftists, Something in the Air places itself firmly in neutral. It’s not really about politics at all, but absolutely about being young.
Protagonist Gilles (Clément Métayer) is feeling his way through life, largely lost after his girlfriend ditches him and he’s forced to leave Paris following a protest that went wrong. Gilles’ world is at first shot with a sunny sheen, with psychedelic rock on the soundtrack, leaving the film resembling a hazy, half-remembered summer. He flirts with free love and cross-continental travel across an ideologically connected Europe. But the possibility of youth gives way to the reality of adulthood, as Gilles and friends go separate ways and find disappointment in their quest for purpose.
There’s more heart to Something in the Air than Assayas’ last feature, the engrossing but cold Carlos the Jackal, perhaps because it feels so obviously personal. But it’s also more aimless, and occasionally stumbles over what to do with its characters, just as they stumble over where to take their lives. As well as Gilles, there’s also his love interest Christine, burgeoning hippy Alain and committed comrade Jean-Pierre. Their stories just sort of fizzle out.
Then again, that’s probably the point. Regardless, Assayas’ cool, assured approach (drawing confidently naturalistic performances from his actors) holds your attention, even if the story doesn’t always have much direction. It’s more a snapshot of another time. It may not be everyone’s entertainment, but it’s a hit for fans of heartfelt European cinema.
Like the film, Gilles doesn’t really desire world revolution. He just wants something to fight for, and film is his eventual escape. As he finds work on a film set, it’s a pivotal moment; the sight of a cardboard dragon attacking a U-Boat full of B-movie Nazis just makes sense to him, where the in-fighting and tongue-twisting of his socialist pals never did. As Something in the Air draws to a close, as Gilles exchanges politics for film, this picture makes you understand why. The mental merry-go-round of politics just seems far less agreeable than the simplicity of filmmakers like Olivier Assayas.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★
Brogan Morris – Lover of film, writer of words, pretentious beyond belief. Thinks Scorsese and Kubrick are the kings of cinema, but PT Anderson and David Fincher are the young princes. Follow Brogan on Twitter if you can take shameless self-promotion.
Originally published April 18, 2013. Updated April 11, 2018.
