Mektoub My Love: Canto Due – A Surreal Cinematic Journey
Unlocking the Third Chapter: In the ever-evolving tapestry of Abdellatif Kechiche’s groundbreaking Mektoub My Love series, we find ourselves engrossed in a world that is both bewildering and captivating. The third installment, Mektoub My Love: Canto Due, lands like a surreal dream, filled with melodramatic escapades that demand your attention.
A Recap of the Journey So Far
The Origin: Canto Uno
The journey began in 2017 with Mektoub My Love: Canto Uno, a provocative exploration of love, longing, and the complexities of youth in the early ’90s. Amin, played by Shaïn Boumedine, returns to his seaside hometown of Sète after abandoning his medical studies to chase his dreams as a screenwriter. Amidst his friends’ tangled affairs, including Ophélie (Ophélie Bau) and her fiancé, the narrative entwines romance and familial obligations, serving a slice of life that feels at once relatable and tantalizing.
The Experiment: Intermezzo
Then came Mektoub My Love: Intermezzo in 2019, which reinvented cinematic storytelling with its 212-minute runtime. This installment is renowned for its audaciously surreal, single-night sequence set in a nightclub, pushing the boundaries of narrative and audience comfort levels. With a focus on sensuality, particularly an unabashed celebration of female beauty, it left audiences astounded, raising questions about Kechiche’s artistic direction.
Enter Canto Due: The Latest Offering
A Shorter, Yet Bolder Experience
Fast forward to the latest release, Mektoub My Love: Canto Due, and one can sense a shift. Running at a brisk two hours and fifteen minutes, it manages to keep the sensuality quotient intact, while strangely, most explicit moments are reserved for the film’s climactic finale. As with its predecessors, the characters navigate their lives with an almost zen-like approach to their entangled realities, set against a backdrop that feels both dreamy and chaotic.
The Arrival of Hollywood
In this episode, we’re introduced to an eccentric twist with Hollywood producer Jack (played by Andre Jacobs) and his discontented young wife Jessica (newcomer Jessica Pennington). Their arrival in Sète creates an almost farcical ambiance. Jack, claiming absurdities about Jessica’s past, contrasts sharply with the small-town vibe, leading to humorous yet poignant encounters with Amin and Tony.
A Climax That Shocks
As tension escalates, particularly between Tony and Jessica, the stage is set for a comedic unraveling. When Amin shares his screenplay with the intrigued Jack, viewers sense the impending chaos on the horizon. The film crescendos into a breathtaking finale that is sure to leave audiences gasping, highlighting the only explicit scene. The reaction from the Locarno audience encapsulates the film’s provocative nature — a mixture of disbelief and admiration.
What Lies Ahead?
The conclusion of Canto Due leaves room for speculation. As Amin is seen running into the night, one can’t help but wonder if this will be yet another leap into the bizarre and surreal. Could Kechiche be crafting a cinematic universe that evolves like a fine wine — complex, rich, and continuously changing?
Conclusion: The Continuing Enigma
Mektoub My Love: Canto Due stands as a testament to Kechiche’s unique vision, blending art, eroticism, and emotional depth in ways few filmmakers dare. Its undeniable weirdness is a calling card for audiences seeking something that defies convention. As the series unfolds, one question lingers: where will this journey take us next?
For fans of avant-garde cinema, this film is not just a watch; it’s an experience that transcends the ordinary into the realm of the extraordinary. With its audacious storytelling and deeply human characters, Mektoub My Love remains a captivating exploration of love in all its complexities.
For further insights into Kechiche’s films, check out The Guardian’s review and delve into the nuances that make his work so enthralling.
