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The new Jean-Pierre Jeunet film, more formally known as Micmacs à tire-larigot, was a last-minute closing night substitution at IFF Boston. To quote Brad Searles, “upgrade.”

From the outset, Micmacs is classic Jeunet, set in a world just a bit off-kilter from ours. Like Amélie, Micmacs stacks improbable coincidences as part of its plot. Like City of Lost Children (La cité des enfants perdus), Micmacs is crammed full of lush visuals — so much so that I’m actively looking forward to seeing it again when it opens locally next month just to catch some of what I missed.

Micmas includes several familiar Jeunet themese and motifs — there’s wonder, humor, romance, and some darkness — but it’s also more directly satirical, even political. Bazil (Dany Boon) runs afoul of two rival weapons manufacturers, and with the aid of the typically (for Jeunet, that is) unlikely and somewhat folkloric friends he makes, he endeavors to set the two companies at each other’s throats. The result is often very funny, but more than a little pointed. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

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