MICROBE & GASOLINE

France, 2015, 105 minutes, Colour.
Ange Dargent, Theophile Baquet, Audrey Tautou, Diane Besnier.
Directed by Michel Gondry.

It is not often that there is an engaging film about the friendship between two 14-year-old boys. The screenplay was written by Michel Gondry, a writer of distinctive talent, who has made lots of short films and videos and has made films in his native France as well as in the United States. His films include Human Nature and the film which drew him to world attention, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, as well as The Science of Sleep and Be Kind Rewind. He made Mood Indigo in France as well as this film.

Ange Dargent is Daniel, the smallest in his class, nicknamed Microbe. His mother is played by Audrey Tautou. His 14, very good at drawing, interested in the meaning of life with his mother taking him to philosophical conferences. He is also preoccupied about sex and his slow puberty development. Theophile Baquet is Theo, a bit older, a bit taller, who comes new to the school but becomes a good friend to Daniel. They discuss a lot of issues, especially about sex and sexuality. However, Theo is good with his hands and together they work on a motor, repairing it enabling them to build their own car and, to avoid police inspection and regulations, build a house on top of the engine and go travelling through France. His nickname is Gasoline.

The boys are very good in their roles, completely convincing. The director takes us into the world of the adolescents, hesitant, curious, with major adolescence before them.

There are a humorous sequences as well as serious undertones – and a rueful ending.

1. An engaging film about young teenagers? Boys? Friends? Comparisons and contrasts? Their journey together?

2. The work of the director, the blend of realism and surrealism, serious undertones, comedy?

3. The Paris/ Versailles settings, the homes, the shops, the streets, school? The contrast with the open road, the range of scenery, the house-car, the dentist’s house, the woods, the lake, the town, the barbershop, the bridge? The musical score?

4. Establishing the character of Daniel? His nickname, being small? Aged 14, approaching puberty, sexual curiosity, his nude drawings, masturbation, talk about sex? The contrast with his brother, rivalry, friendship, animosity, kicking the soccer ball, the brother and his band, punks? Daniel and his drawings? The exhibition? Join the planning for the competition? At school, classes, the girls, conversations?

5. The arrival of Theo, a bit older, taller? His father with the antique shop? The severity of his father’s attitudes, his mother, her bad health, spurning her son? The older brother, drugs and drinking, joining the army? Coming into class, extroverted, the touch of the show off? Talking with Daniel, easy companion, the growing friendship, the meal with
Daniel’s family, his defence of Daniel? His encouraging the drawing? The exhibition, his being the only one turning up, dancing with the proprietor? His father and the junk, the
yard, buying the engine, taking it home, fixing it?

6. Daniel and Theo and the engine, the decision to build the car, like a house, driving, the refusal of registration? The plan to go off, the holiday, not telling their parents? The drive, the destination in the mountains, evading the police by turning the house car into a house, the police taking the selfie in front of it? Up hills and pushing? The town, Daniel and his hair, looking for the barbershops, the touch of the Mohawk, running from the Koreans, escaping in the car? Parked, the solicitous man, inviting the boys in, the meal, the room, the dental check, their escaping? Daniel and his longings for Laura, the drawing, manipulating the destination of the journey? The woods, seeing her in the water?

7. Daniel, serious, the meaning of life, his serious mother, her love for her sons, his accompanying her to the philosophical conference, books on science? The discussions with Theo, questions, curiosity, discussing issues of sexuality, Theo and his experience, caution? Their falling out?

8. The Koreans, Daniel with their soccer ball, the pursuit, Theo and the car, the confrontation on the bridge, the bargaining?

9. The parents, their concern, the mother’s death, the return home, the funeral? Theo’s father and sending him to live with his brother? The goodbye to Daniel?

10. The new year, lining up, the attraction to Laura, the friend and his taunting of Daniel, Daniel with the headlock that he was taught by Theo, running away?

11. Memories of a significant friendship and the sadness of it being broken?