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Fantastic Fest capsule: ‘Bullhead’
Jacky Vanmarsenille (Matthias Schoenaerts) is a hulking, simmering bull of a man who serves as the heavy for his family’s interest in the illegal steroids trade. His anger constantly lurks just below the surface, occasionally exploding with violent force.
The back-story of Vanmarsenille’s anger is revealed in a flashback to his adolescence, when as a fresh-faced China doll of a child his life takes a life-altering turn. A local bully terrorizes Vanmarsenille, and smashes his testicles with a brick. The brilliant blend of silence and sound give staggering emotional profundity to the unthinkable act. It is one of the most startling scenes I’ve seen at Fantastic Fest.
The devastating violence leads to Jacky’s parents injecting their son with hormones in hopes of replacing that which was so brutally stolen from him. The incident will, naturally, end up defining Jacky’s life, his relationship with women and his understanding of himself as an incomplete man.
Most films feature a character who must face and overcome an obstacle. The fascinating thing about “Bullhead” is that its protagonist will never be able to fully conquer or resolve his conflict. It defines him and circumscribes his life. The fatalism of his life is tragic and unavoidable.
As Jacky haltingly attempts to come out of his shell of shame and misery, he commits an act of violence that will eventually return to torment him.
The narrative is built around a somewhat vague crime ring that sometimes confuses with its intricacies. But the real thrust of the story is Jacky’s internal conflict. Schoenaerts gives the massive Jacky (Belgian actor Schoenaerts put on close to 50 pounds of muscle for the role) a stunning vulnerability cloaked in a brooding intensity. Roskam uses extreme close-ups give the film a raw intimacy, and put the viewer in unsettling proximity to this tortured animal of a man.
At times you wonder what is going on in the narrative of the corruption, betrayal and murder. But Roskam often clears up confusion in subsequent scenes, a device which helps give a nice pace to the mystery.
A pair of bumbling French mechanics who unwittingly get wrapped up in the criminal activities and a male police officer who flirts with a gay informant give the thriller a a bit of comedic relief and Coen-esque absurdity, providing a slight release for the slow-boil.
Last week the film was selected as Belgium’s entry for the Academy Awards, a distinction that should bring some much deserved international attention to this staggering work.
“Bullhead” is an incredible accomplishment for a first-time director. Roskam chose as his film’s central premise a conceit that could have ended up playing very melodramatically, making the film unbelievable and almost silly, and infused it with an amazing amount of tenderness, truth and humanity. The movie is stunning in its stark noirish beauty and balances humor and rage as well as hopefulness and despair.
Roskam is one of the things that is great about Fantastic Fest — and film festivals in general — you get to see the beginning of what is almost certain to be a wonderful career.
“Bullhead” screens again Monday at 5:30 p.m.
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