This post is part of my movie-a-day challenge in which I will watch a film every day for 365 days. Today is Day 140! You can see all the posts for this challenge HERE. To see the original Movie-a-Day Challenge post, click HERE.
Hi Friends!
So, for my movie of the day, I decided to stream something a bit off the beaten path the other night and ended up watching “I Lost My Body” – yeah, the 2019 French animated film directed by Jérémy Clapin. And let me tell ya, it was an experience. 🎬. It had me equal parts grossed out, mesmerized, and emotionally wrecked. Seriously, this movie is not for the faint of heart, but if you’re down for a mind-bending experience, keep reading!
The movie is, like, really out there with its premise. Imagine a severed hand (yep, you read that right – think “Thing” from the Addams Family) escaping a Parisian laboratory to reunite with its body. Sounds like something out of a weird dream, doesn’t it? Well, that’s exactly how watching it felt.
Alongside, we’ve got this heart-tugging story of Naoufel, a young man with a rather tragic past, who works at a pizza place in a grimy part of Paris. Naoufel’s life isn’t exactly sunshine and rainbows – he’s kind of lost, stuck in the dead-end job and struggles to find his purpose. What’s interesting is how the film flips back to his earlier memories, giving us a glimpse of his childhood and how the past events that occurred rippled into his present life.
Voiced by Hakim Faris (Naoufel), Victoire Du Bois (Gabrielle), and Patrick d’Assumçao (Gigi), the characters come to life in a manner that’s both compelling and deeply human, even when one of them is, uh, a hand. You know, I kinda found myself rooting for the hand more than for some characters in other movies I’ve watched, which says something about the storytelling here.
The movie then flips between two narratives. One follows Naoufel as he deals with his emotional trauma and the other perspective is, well, from the hand itself. This severed appendage, which I came to affectionately (if weirdly) know as “Hand,” is on a desperate journey to reunite with its owner. The animation for Hand is both grotesque and strangely beautiful. It’s a disembodied mess of muscle and bone, scrambling through the grimy underbelly of Paris. Think “Spirited Away” meets “The Thing,” and you’re kind of on the right track. The two narratives weave together in ways that are as unexpected as finding pineapple on your pizza – surprisingly good but not for everyone.
This flick doesn’t just play with your emotions; it juggles them while riding a unicycle on a tightrope. One moment you’re in the depths of despair with Naoufel, feeling every bit of his loneliness and longing, and the next, you’re cheering on a hand as it navigates the dangers of a big city (such at battling rats…really!). It’s bizarre, it’s touching, and it’s got that certain je ne sais quoi that sticks with you.
But here’s the thing: despite the whole severed-hand situation, “I Lost My Body” is actually a surprisingly tender story. It’s about connection, isolation, and the lengths we go to for the people (or body parts) we care about. As Naoufel searches for answers, Hand encounters a whole cast of strange characters adding a fascinating layer to the film.
And the animation style is phenomenal! It’s not your typical Saturday morning cartoon vibe but rather offers a mix of detailed backgrounds and a slightly muted, almost dreamlike quality for the characters. The way Clapin uses visuals to tell this story is nothing short of stunning. The score is also incredible – a haunting mix of strings and piano that perfectly captures the film’s melancholic atmosphere.
Now, you might be thinking, “Is this movie for me?” And honestly, it might not be everyone’s cup of tea (or coffee, or whatever your poison is). But if you’re up for something that’s equal parts beautiful, tragic, and utterly unique, then you might just find “I Lost My Body” to be a hidden gem.
Just be aware that “I Lost My Body” isn’t your typical feel-good flick. It’s dark, disturbing at times, and will definitely leave you with something to ponder. But it’s also a powerful and thought-provoking film that explores the human condition in a truly unique way. It made me ponder the paths we take in life, the connections we seek, and the parts of ourselves we sometimes lose along the way. It’s also a reminder that sometimes the most unexpected journeys are the ones that lead us back to ourselves.
TTFN 👋
Roger
P.S. Fun fact: Did you know that “I Lost My Body” is the first animated film to win the Nespresso Grand Prize at the Cannes Film Festival? Yup, that happened in 2019, and it’s a pretty big deal considering it’s mostly live-action films that snag that prize. (Source: Cannes Film Festival official website)