Oedipe - [N+1]

Based on the novel by Jean-Jacques Nguyen, the film is set in the distant future where The Circle -- a new race of genetically- and mechanically-enhanced human beings -- have seized most of the world's resources for themselves and built magnificent cities. (Paris of the future is depicted several times in amazing matte paintings and CGI effects.)

We're introduced to Thomas Steiner, a handsome young man who died and has been brought back to life by his mother and the New Life Corporation. But from the get-go, Thomas remembers things that his mother claims never happened. Among these is Kazo, a handsome young gay man who is "outside the Circle" who appears to have been Thomas' lover. But Thomas' mother claims there was no Kazo, no gay lover or gay lifestyle -- and that, in fact, Thomas is engaged to a young woman.

Naturally, Thomas tries to recreate his old life, despite his mother's interference. Thomas even goes so far as to head out into the "Outer Circle" to find Kazo. Instead, he meets resistance at every turn: No one named Kazo, no Chinese restaurant where they used to hang out, no street where Kazo lived. Thomas is assaulted on the street and his hand cut off. It's not a big deal in this society, where severed limbs can be regrown in a day.

Despite the obvious conspiracy against him, Thomas seems blithely unaware that anything is wrong. He weirdly trusts his mother, even though the audience is given no reason to believe that his mother implanted a "trust element" into his head or that Thomas indeed trusts his implicitly. (Later in the film, we learn that the "old Thomas" intensely distrusted his mother.

The sudden change after Thomas' resurrection is unexplained.)

Thomas returns home to find that someone wants to meet him in a virtual reality bar. He goes there -- only to encounter himself! The conspiracy is exposed (as if we didn't see it coming a mile off): Thomas' mother hates Thomas' homosexuality and his gay lover, Louis. Knowing that Thomas' multi-millionaire mother would probably seek to have Thomas killed and then "reinstantiated" (brought back to life with altered memories), Thomas downloaded virtual copies of his own and Louis' personalities. The memory of Kazo was a ruse Thomas' mind constructed to distract her from the real lover, Louis. Sadly, it is too late. Mother has hired an assassin to break into Thomas' apartment with the severed hand. Thomas is murdered, and his mother attempts to recreate her son once more...this time, "better."

"Oedipe" has very high production values, with an exciting soundtrack, excellent set design, and direction and editing are far superior to almost anything you might expect from a short film.

The acting, too -- which relies heavily on French veteran Jalil Lespert -- is very good. But the script telegraphs Mme. Steiner's conspiracy far too much. A feature-length film might be better able to conceal and misdirect these elements so that Thomas' missing life seems less conspiratorial and more natural, and Mme. Steiner's complicity in the crime less obvious (or even concealed).

The film contains a somewhat lengthy dialogue at the end about the true nature of reality which doesn't really fit with the rest of the film, either. Although originally part of the novel, this plot element appears and then disappears almost immediately. It is out of place here.

I should also say that film festival audience reaction to this motion picture was less than stellar. Many gay audiences attend gay film festivals in order to see positive portrayals of gay and lesbian characters, portrayals they cannot see elsewhere in cinema. Yet, this film depicted homosexuality as worthy of murder, conspiracy and manipulation. Thomas never has a chance against his wealthy, knowledgeable, psychotic mother. Thomas' second death is blithely accepted by the authorities, even though it is obviously murder. Audiences were happy with the film's sci-fi elements, but very condemnatory about its anti-gay (sic) theme.