REVIEW : "The Eighth Day" (1996) - Movie by Jaco Van Dormael

Sometimes a movie starts out weak and then takes off like a rocket. "The Eighth Day" to some extend is this kind of movie. The plot is pretty simple and straight forward but the story keeps stabbing at you and eventually gets under your skin and demands you to surrender to its strong emotional grip.

It is unusual to use mentally handicapped individuals in movies as you risk using them to make a freakshow or they simply do not have the stability and ability to carry the part. But Pascal Duquenne, a man with Downs Syndrome, plays his part here, beyond what could be expected of a person with his handicap. This must be recommended just on these grounds alone.

George, a mentally handicapped young man, with dreams of getting married, runs away from the institution he has been parked in for years, to go and see his mum. Harry, a slick by the numbers businessman, who´s family life is in ruins, accidentally runs over George´s dog with his car.

Harry offers to bring George to the address he keeps babbling about, but discovers that it is further away than first thought. Harry ends up getting more involved in George´s life, than he originally planned to, but even if he has trouble holding his own family together - he takes care of George.

But George is not as easy to handle as he thought and his "family" situation is marked by years of suppression of the "burden" they have all felt with George. It will take a lot of crazy events before both Harry and George, with each others help, can finally settle their respective lives.

At first I felt the plot was a bit too simplistic and predictable. But despite the first act´s, admittedly hard start, it all started to gel in the second act. As if the actors had got a better functioning interactive flow. But the third act just blew me away and I was pretty much walled by the emotional depth that this seemingly simple story managed to give me.

I had to throw the towel in the ring and just live with the characters in this, at times crazy, but deeply heartfelt story. It was as if it took a few quantum leaps during the second and third act, both plot and story wise. It really was a surprising turn in "quality".

Daniel Auteuil plays so well opposite to Pascal Duquenne. He wisely finds a balance where he is not overshadowing Duquennes´s abilities, but instead manages to invite him in and make the thing work. This is a trademark of a highly skilled actor and I must admit, I never really felt any of the scenes were awkward, but, in particular, in the second and third act, very honest and heartfelt by both actors.

The supporting cast is very good and even George´s handicapped friends mix in well without it becoming a freak show or a sentimental kind of comic relief, which I despise. It may at times come a bit close to that, but it never gets to a level where I don´t think it is warranted.

Another fine aspect is, that I never felt lectured about what to think of George. Yes it has a slight tendency to overdo the sympathy for him, but we do need to get a balanced view of him and I think it works well overall.

This one comes very recommended, and be sure to bring your kleenex, as it may well be a tear jerker for you. It is one of those movies that disarm you and just gets under your skin and does it so well. To hell with cinematography and fancy shooting. This just gives you what you want in bucketloads.

9/10