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Man Bites Dog (1992)

Man Bites Dog (1992)

The controversial critic’s choice in Cannes that continues to confound viewers

7.2

Movie

Belgium
French, Italian
Comedy, Crime
1992
ANDRÉ BONZEL, BENOÎT POELVOORDE
André Bonzel, Benoît Mariage, Benoît Poelvoorde
96 min

TLDR

What a strange twist to those day-in-a-life videos, huh?

What it's about

As part of their documentary, filmmakers André and Rémy follow a witty and sophisticated man named Ben, who happens to be a serial killer.

The take

Of course, it won’t be surprising that Man Bites Dogs is particularly violent, given that the entire film is basically a documentary of a serial killer. But even those used to the gore, murders, and gruesomeness might be taken aback by Benoît (Poelvoorde)’s immediate murders, the matter-of-fact explanations of how he selects his targets, the casual conversations about random topics inbetween kills, and the easy way he lures the filmmakers (and the audience) to the amusement he gains from all of it. Man Bites Dog isn’t an easy watch, and it definitely deserved its controversial reputation, but we can’t deny how hard it is to look away.

What stands out

Mockumentaries aren’t entirely new, but there’s something so sardonic with the way the form is used to mock media violence.

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