By SETH HYNES
The Volcano
Starring: Dany Boon and Valerie Bonneton
Rated M
Volcano blows divorce open
The Volcano, from the producers of the award-winning The Intouchables, is a silly French comedy about how not to handle a break-up.
Alain (Dany Boon) and Valerie (Valerie Bonneton) are a divorced couple who hate each other’s guts. But when the Eyjafjallajokull volcanic eruption in Iceland delays all European airline flights, they are forced to put up with each other as they make their way to their daughter’s wedding in Greece.
At first, the character writing in The Volcano seems unbalanced, with Valerie acting downright brutal in her reprisals against Alain. But both characters are soon portrayed as equally cruel in an unfortunately accurate depiction of how spiteful and bitter some separated couples can become.
But it’s not all doom and sadism.
The humor is often darkly amusing, and the film goes absolutely bonkers in the best way possible. Despite their antagonism, Alain and Valerie let nothing stand in their way in a whirlwind journey across several countries. The couple crashes cars, steals a plane and even meets a crossbow-wielding nutjob who thinks he’s Jesus.
It’s heartening to see the chaotic adrenaline of their adventure bringing them closer, and the plot delivers constant surprises.
The Volcano is a little hard to like in the beginning, but once you embrace the schadenfreude, this is a very funny, unpredictable movie.
Just don’t get ideas for your ex from this movie.
