Summary
A hand searches for its lost body, while a young man falls in love with a woman.
My Thoughts:
“I Lost My Body” is an ambitious, hypnotic and heartwarming animated adventure coming out of France, and has landed a prestigious place this year at the academy awards for best animated feature. The film is set in the lower middle class district of Paris, France, we first follow a severed hand as it falls out from a medical bag with all sorts of other appendages; it springs to life and barely escapes the doctor who cleans up the fallen mess. While the hand makes its escape, it's accompanied by a transient, ethereal score that is both haunting and beautiful. Once that score started, I was immediately transfixed on watching this strange tale until the end, and I was not disappointed. This isn't the family Pixar animated film one might automatically assume after hearing 'animation', no, this is mature filmmaking, full of symbolism and metaphors. If talking toys is more your pace, this isn't the film for you; but for those searching for a deep dive on the human soul, look no further. As the hand makes its way through the dimly lit city, avoiding rats and all sorts of obstacles, it starts to reflect on its past and before it was just a hand. We then are brought to Noaufel, first as a child then as he grows up into a young adult we see him struggle with life's hardships, such as losing his parents, growing up in foster care, and these directly resulting in his mental instability. He's a nice enough guy, but his depression is real and it gets a real sympathetic response from the viewer, he's distant, but not as much as to be unrelatable, the writing is impeccable, from the tone to the pacing, we are on this journey with Noaufel, and his severed hand which is blended together in wonderful surrealism.
While the movies central story is a bit cliche, at it’s core it's a coming of age story, which are as common as an Oxford comma, but that's just looking at it from a surface level point of view. The symbolism is overflowing in this film, filling the scenes with uplifting images and metaphors, some of perseverance, and others of letting go. By the end, we as the audience know how Noaufel lost his hand, in a bloody accident, and that the hand and it's journey is purely metaphorical, representing Noaufel's past, and it desperately tries to get back to itself recalling at the times it had been with him up until that point, except when it finally reaches his body, it finds Noaufel has learned to live without his hand, he's overcome the obstacles that were largely prominent in his life, with the help of another human Gabrielle, whom he befriends, rather stalkerishly through his pizza delivery job, in a rather humorous, yet slightly awkward manner. Just because his life is a rollercoaster, he is able to make the best out of even the worst situations, it's encouraging and told with delicate fashion, so as not be cheesy or overbearing, but exactly the opposite.
On top of this film being a very sophisticated animated outing, it's lofty ambitions are matched with some really beautiful hand drawn animation, it reminded me of the Boondocks television shows animation style, except smoother and flourishing with life, or incredibly dark and ominous during the traveling scenes with the hand. And while the hand is symbolic, one can't help rooting for it as it makes its way through the city streets at night, battling birds or taking a leap of faith with an umbrella, what could've been a silly little outing with an animated hand is so much more with the human connection that is layered with it, bringing a different, emotionally satisfying component to the narrative. It's a bit unconventional in its delivery, but that works for its benefit, as it may have a basic storyline but it's told in a fresh, unique way it's hard not to forgive it for its shortcomings.
Overall, “I Lost My Body” is a brilliantly animated film, full of encouraging metaphors, and beautiful symbolism. Our characters are relatable and their pain feels real. This could’ve been just another coming of age story, but the way the filmmakers go about it is wholly unique and original, almost fantastical. It's score is deeply engrossing and keeps the flow of the film going at a brisk but meaningful pace. While it's not the most conventional "boy meets girl" set up, it still follows basic beats to meet the end goal, but that doesn't make the journey any less rewarding when the two narratives finally merge together at the end. It's an uplifting story surrounding darkness, and how persevering through the hardest parts in life is the only way we'll make it in this world. “I Lost My Body” is mature animation and won't appeal to a younger Pixar audience, but will resonate with those old enough who give this beautiful film a go.
I give I Lost My Body 4 stars out of 5.
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