Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on March 2011

In 1982, Jacques Tati’s daughter inherited the screenplay for what the late great French comedic actor intended to be his final film. Eventually she made the very wise decision to give it to Sylvain Chomet, animator of the marvelous The Triplets of Belleville, who has brilliantly recreated Tati, right down to the too-short pants and the distinctive body language. This sad and sweet story revolves around an adept but no longer relevant old-school magician and his platonic partnership with a young female admirer. More you must see for yourself. And you must. There’s very little dialogue at all.