After reading other reviews, I approached this movie with the expectation of disappointment. This is the perfect way to approach a movie you were eager to see. It also helps that I didn't get around to seeing it for some time. It turns out, the criticisms are all valid, so the deciding factor regarding your level of enjoyment of this movie is a matter of taste. I too get annoyed by trying-hard-to-be-quirky movies (ex: Diablo Cody), which are so self-consciously clever; this movie was so unaware of itself, that it never felt like it was contrived. I am sure many will agree that you can be very entertained by a movie (purposely using "movie" here and not "film"), while knowing it is not a masterpiece of cinema. For those who like whimsical fare, this is pure eye candy. Yes, the story is thin and the characters not deeply developed, but it's the whimsical equivalent of an action flick; those who like action go for a string of action sequences, which leave some of us bored to tears. This movie is a string to whimsical (how many times can I use that word in my review?), visual metaphors that are not profound, but amusing and cute. I suppose people think visual metaphors and surreal devices must always be profound, but here it is simply fun and entertaining. That is so unusual to me, that it is refreshing. I can watch a fluffy, light movie and not think too much and be delighted on the same level that others are when they watch some superhero action flick or gross out comedy. I wish more movies like this existed, not because it is so genius, but because it's pure entertainment without the typical vulgarity that goes along with pure entertainment. Not to say the visual metaphors are not very clever or executed very well - they are. It hits you on the gut level, so that you digest them readily, if it is in fact, the kind of imagery which you gravitate towards. An obvious example from the previews is the cloud-mobile the couple floats around in while on their first date - taking the feeling of first-date infatuation and presenting it in its literal form. They are in a cloud - literally! The whole movie is a string of this, and I guess you get it or you don't, or it amuses you or it does not. And when I say you get it, I don't mean you have to be deep or brilliant to get it.....it is very childlike, after all. It will not change your life, but it may delight you. I was not bored at all (saw the cinema cut), but other comments that you do not personally care about the characters and their outcome is true; I was entertained, but not deeply engaged. I give it an 8 because doing that with this kind of imagery is something special still.

The basic story seems simple enough. Boy lives a charmed magical life with his outlandish inventions. Boy meets the girl of his dreams and marries her right away. Girl falls ill with a mysterious ailment, and boy does everything in order to save her.In the hands of noted French director Michel Gondry however, this tale is taken to surreal directions, fantastic and absurd. It was obviously going to be an art film from the get-go with the out-of-this-world imagery that gets weirder and weirder as the mood of the film turns from happy to somber. There were disturbing images of blood and gore, which felt misplaced in this film whose general mood was romance.Audrey Tautou is of course a familiar name, playing the ill-fated Chloe. This role is somewhat reminiscent of her past roles. Romain Duris plays Colin rather unevenly, as you cannot really read his true personality of his character. Omar Sy, who was recently seen in "X-Men: Days of Future Past" plays Colin's faithful friend with the flair for preparing fancy food, and dancing with his rubbery legs to jazz music.This will not be an easy watch for mainstream movie audiences. This is strictly for the art-house crowd. I read that this was based on a beloved French book and fans of the book liked how this film brought their favorite story to life. However, for those unfamiliar with the book, the two hours plus running time will be unbearably slow.

This film tells the story of a young man who lives a great life in his fantastic apartment in Paris. He meets a girl and fall in love, and his life is not the same again.The film starts off great, with the signature Michel Gondry style of bizarre visual feast. I really like the clash of old and new technology, such as typing into a computer where there are tall people at the other end to process the command. It's imaginative and fun to watch. After an hour of visual feasts, we get to the main advertised plot. The film is not the same anymore, as it moves into a sombre direction. Then the plot derails into a fragmented mess, and I didn't quite know what the plot is really about. Overall, I wish the film was shorter as it really didn't need that much time to tell this story.

It's been a long time since I've been acquainted with Michel Gondry. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and The Science of Sleep are two of my all-time favourite films. Be Kind Rewind was an unfortunate misfire but I already warmly welcome his style. However, I've never seen him quite so unrestrained like this. Mood Indigo is a truly fantasy world. No dream, no drugs, and nothing is how you'd expect. Not even dancing, not even a handshake. To say the world of Mood Indigo is surreal and absurd is an understatement and no words can quite grasp the chaos on screen. It's like an R-rated Dr. Seuss. Like Gilliam's Brazil. But, it's an absolute delight. Things may not make sense at any point, but it's not about symbolism, it's about expressionism. The characters are deeply human, and that's what counts. All these inventions, twists, obscurities all about emotion. And Mood Indigo constantly had me bellying with laughter or sinking an anchor in my stomach when tragedy strikes even when I wasn't sure what was happening.That's the spirit of filmmaking really, to feel how the characters are feeling, and this film achieves it admirably. But at times it is so dense that its hard to keep up. The special effects and production design are wonderful, but the way it's shot in HD does sometimes nullify its effects and brings us back to reality in a way it doesn't want (I would've preferred Gondry to not have his cameo). Sometimes the cast can't even keep up with it. I really wasn't sure about the cast at first. They're familiar faces, but they didn't seem to suit the tone, plus they felt too old. However, with the film's dark twist in the second half, so dark the film turns black and white, it did become apparent that these cast members fit this melancholic side of the world. I wish it wasn't so bloated in characters and was more restrained like The Science of Sleep. The great soundtrack definitely adds to its rich atmosphere too. I do hope this film will stick with me like his two best films. It may be manic, but it's thoroughly charming. Not Gondry's best but his best in a long while.8/10