Not Your Average Movie

Movie: The Man In The Hat (2020)

Starring: Ciarán Hinds, Stephen Dillane, Sasha Hails

 

OK, I have to admit, when I first saw the movie title, and the promo photo, I immediately recognized the lead actor, Ciarán Hinds.  I was instantly intrigued.  Ciarán Hinds?  The 'Man' in the Hat?  I mean, this is the dude who played Julius Caesar, among other notable roles, in HBO's massive series 'Rome' that aired from 2005-2007.  Could he pull off what seems to be a sure oddball role, that I noticed was listed as a comedy on IMDB? A 'man' (in a Hat) who journeys thru France in an old Fiat 500?  Interesting.

Answer:  YES - Bravo, Mr. Hinds.

What he have here, is a movie that feels like an old comedy, even like a Silent movie from the 30's.  But the brilliance here, is that, even though the movie is almost entirely silent, there is some sparse dialog which is used only at crucial points during the film, which makes some of the scenes even more compelling.  Except for those few scenes with some dialogue, we are left to interpret the actors' body language and incredibly emotive facial expressions, as demonstrated to a phenomenal extent by Mr. Hinds himself.  I mean, who knew?

I do not wish to give away the plot, but there are some mysteries regarding a missing woman, a witness to a body dumped in a river, and perhaps a man who continues to be damp.  Sound kooky?  You bet.  But the movie has a breezy quality to it, and the varied soundtrack is just right for the silly, sometimes dead serious antics and plot scenes.  Not your average movie, and certainly not a movie that you come across everyday.

 

Man in the Hat and the 'Damp Man'

(images courtesy thepeoplesmovies.com)