The defining masterpiece from French filmmaker and comedian Jacques Tati, Playtime is a breathtaking satire that lampoons the modern condition, while offering up some of the wittiest, most bamboozlingly choreographed comedy in cinema history.
Once again playing his signature character Monsieur Hulot – a near silent, good hearted and naïve character who finds himself at odds with the modern world, and who was the inspiration for Mr. Bean – Playtime sees Tati’s character arrive in a futuristic, hyper consumerist version of Paris. Trying to contact an American official, he gets caught up in the baffling hubbub of the city, finding himself frequently colliding with an American tourist.
Made up of six interconnected sequences, Playtime is notable for its colossal, lavish sets, deadpan humour poking fun at modern living, and its breathtakingly intricate choreography and design. Unsuccessful when it was originally released, it is now regularly cited as one of the greatest and most ambitious films ever made.