gavin6942 The intersecting stories of three people who face difficult choices in life-changing situations are used to illustrate the theories espoused by Henri Laborit about human behavior and the relationship between the self and society.Alain Resnais is a director who seems to be well-known by film buffs, but is not terribly well known by the general public. Perhaps because some of his films are strange, or perhaps because Americans don't watch very many foreign films. For my money, "Last Year at Marienbad" is one of the all-time best films ever made.While this may not be "Last Year", it again stands out. Taking an abstract concept and trying to flesh it out as a narrative? That is something rarely seen, and seems appropriately French. And to include the man himself within the structure trying to present his idea? Even more interesting.

Ilpo Hirvonen Alain Resnais' "My American Uncle" (1980) is an exceptionally different film as a unique blend of science and art, however, it's not necessarily anything entirely new to the director himself. After all, time -- in its ontological, existential and historical context -- has always been a leading theme for Resnais. In fact, throughout his career Resnais has studied how the past forms the present and how our personal and collective memories form our consciousness and culture. Although Resnais' approach has always been more philosophical than psychological, in "My American Uncle" this thematic study has been taken to a whole new level: it has turned into a laboratory experiment with three fictional characters whose stories both differ and coincide, leading into an inevitable fusion.In addition to this trio the film has a fourth integral character, Henri Laborit, a scientist devoted to basic research, whose evolutionary and behaviorist theories are examined in the lives of the three characters. Sometimes subtle, sometimes blatant, but always fruitful, this blend of science and art results not only in synthesis of reason and emotion, theory and practice, but also in profound dialectics of fact and fiction, reality and cinema. Above all, the freedom of the spectator is an essential element for Resnais and therefore, Laborit's commentary never works as an absolute frame of reference. On the contrary, the viewer is free to choose whether the fiction coincides with his theories or contradicts them. In close connection with the theme of time, here Resnais studies the essence of humanity. All the characters of "My American Uncle", including Laborit, are introduced from their childhood to the present, and the viewer is given a point of reference to ponder what makes us who we are. Resnais asks, for example, how does biology (gender, temperament and prenatal factors), environment (the films we see, the people we admire, family and culture) and the nerve system affect our development. In brief, Resnais contemplates what it means to be a human being. Laborit himself offers a thought on this by saying that man is "a memory that acts."All in all, "My American Uncle" is a film that has been built with precision and care. When watched right, it unfolds in an utterly beautiful fashion. The film is as if an organic mosaic -- like human life itself -- which gathers its final, though subjective, form later in the spectator's mind as the pieces come together. The stories, first introduced in collage-like photo montage, aren't finished for they continue their development outside the borders of the screen. These are the stories about perpetual failures and the fragility of happiness and contentment. All the characters are hoping for something better. Their mundane existence is characterized by a constant yearn for freedom, love and happiness. All of them are waiting for something -- for their own American uncle.

manoel-giffoni I have just seen the film in my city's biggest cine club with just about all my cinema colleagues. When I bought the ticket I was handled a leaflet with comments of some critics and the very first sentence was "it questions what it is to be French" which obviously scared me. Although I much love the European country and do like many of its films, this is not a question I catch myself asking every now and then. It seemed like a Nouvelle Vague personal crisis of what am I, where I am at, and all that... and I have to say my opinion about the Nouvelle Vague is quite controversial to most of the cinema fans. When the film began, the explanation of the thesis the movies shows most willingness to prove, I all had was a confirmation and a damn-it-what-the-hell-am-I-doing-here sensation. However, I've payed for the ticket, I had slept for the whole afternoon and I didn't have money for extra beers outside the cinema, so I stubbornly decided to stay. And what a wise decision I have made! The plot goes on beautifully questioning everything (and I couldn't spot the French questions, thanks God). I actually saw questions about love and life - definitely not exclusive to the French. I saw characters that were designed with a precise care - not excessively harsh, nor excessively romantic. Real people with real problems and real solutions (for the good or for the bad). In a sensitive and reasonable balance, not in the hysterical way many movies end up going whilst pondering about such questions. I have to say I thought a zillion times on the last part of the movie that this was the time to stop, to finish. And the director kept on repeating scenes and talking about all his personal theories - which I think the viewer has the legitimate right to formulate. But it kept on going and kept on going like a brainwash. I, myself, and what I think is my intelligence, got a little offended. In the overall, I really enjoyed the film. And I am going to watch some other Resnais' work to see if his cutting skills had developed, don't worry.

Catch-52 I've seen this film twice. The first time, it told me how to view the world. The second time, it represented my view of the world. Everyone's actions are determined by a small number of forces, it says. Everyone's behavior fits into only four categories, it says. And yet, it presents such a wide range of emotions, actions, and thoughts that it seems to contradict its very hypothesis. And yet, it doesn't. Turn your brain on and watch this; give it time to sink in, then watch it again. I guarantee it will change your way of looking at the world. The editing is top-notch, and Resnais is at the top of his form, as he was 20 years earlier with Hiroshima Mon Amour. The ending is a stunner, and it encapsulates the film while at the same time extending its meaning. The cinematography and message will remind you of Resnais' Night and Fog. Brilliant performances from all three leads and Laborit. Give it time, use your brain, and view it multiple times. You will be rewarded.