RICKY
France, 2009, 96 minutes, Colour.
Alexandra Lamy, Sergei Lopez, Melusine Mayance.
Directed by Francois Ozon.
Wasn't there a popular aviation movie 70 years ago, Only Angels Have Wings? Francois Ozon's variation on this theme, babies can have wings, is open-ended. Baby Ricky must be the cutest, strange little screen creature since ET!
Ozon has 'freely adapted' a short story by Rose Tremain (Restoration), 'Moth'. It has the audience laughing in disbelief, gasping with some delight and, ultimately, asking, 'what really happened?'.
A pre-credits prologue has a long, close-up interview with Katie (a fine performance from Alexandra Lamy), a distraught mother of two, whose Spanish husband has abandoned them and who now tearfully pleads with the social worker because she cannot cope and needs to foster the baby child who cries a lot
We then are taken back three months but this does not quite add up and Ozon has made a number of time lapses (Katie's new pregnancy and seemingly sudden birth, her quick falling out with the Spanish, Paco (Sergi Lopez)).
During the first half of the film, we have entered French social realism territory (with an overt nod by Ozon to the films of the Belgian Dardenne Brothers), council flats, single mothers, detailed factory work (bottling poisonous materials), affair with a charming Spaniard at the factory, birth. So far, so normal (or not).
Then, off we go to fantasy land with baby Ricky and his emerging wings. There are absurd touches as mother and daughter, Lisa ( Melusine Mayance as an intelligent 7 year-old), help Ricky and conceal his secret. The doctors are serious and the media becomes seriously intrusive. A spectacle unfolds in the Christmas-decorated supermarket and cooing Ricky takes to the air.
The film becomes more and more fantastical (which is not Ozon's forte) and we are given time enough to wonder about Ricky's angelic nature and his mother's sublime happiness.
Then, the final credits. We come down to earth. Who has been dreaming, Katie and/or Lisa?
So, a brief, sad, cute, social realist fantasy.
1.A social realistic portrait turning into a fantasy comedy?
2.How well did the two parts fit together, the serious opening, the funny touches, the realism, the change to magic realism, a dream – whose?
3.The locations, authentic, the flats, the building, the riverside, the apartment, schools, factory, the factory floor, the canteen, the toilets, restaurant? Audiences accepting the realism?
4.The time lapses, Katie’s pregnancy, the short time to the birth, the building-up of the family? Her irritation with Paco and his leaving?
5.Katie and the initial interview, her story, sad, her waking up in the morning, her feelings, her bond with Lisa, the bike, taking Lisa to school, going to work, the poisons in the factory, seeing Paco, the attraction, the shared cigarette, the sexual encounter in the toilet, her collapse? Her coming home late? Going to the restaurant with Paco, their discussions, his coming home, the night, breakfast, Lisa’s reaction, her questions, Katie happy, pregnant?
6.Lisa and her age, experience, the father absent, his not wanting her to be born, not wanting to see her? Her wisdom, looking after her mother? At home, going to school? Her not accepting Paco immediately, finally accepting him? A substitute father, her comments? Her mother’s pregnancy, the birth of Ricky, her wanting to call the baby Ricky? Accepting the child, the questions of Katie’s attention for her? The gifts for Ricky? The meal, the toast to the new baby? Gradually accepting Paco, helping with the homework?
7.Paco, Spanish charm, the attraction in the factory, the cigarette, the sexual encounters, the restaurant, his story, going home, building a relationship with Lisa, moving in, the birth of Ricky, joy?
8.Katie at home, Ricky crying, Katie finally going to work, Paco at home looking after Ricky, preparing the bottle, cuddling him? The discovery of the bruises? The argument, Katie’s not believing him, his storming out, later coming back after the TV items, the reconciliation?
9.Ricky, the development of his wings, Katie and Lisa keeping it secret, their reactions, Ricky flying, on the top of the wardrobe? Katie measuring the wings? Going to the supermarket and measuring the chicken wings? Developing the feathers? Making the cage for Ricky? Lisa and her care for her brother?
10.Ricky as cute, his pumping his legs, crying, his face, the changing of the dirty napkin, loving his bottle, purring and content, suddenly flying?
11.The lottery, winning the two thousand euros, Christmas, going to the supermarket, buying the Santa Claus, Ricky flying, people’s amazement, people taking video with the mobile phones?
12.The discussions with the doctor, Katie upset that she was not a fit mother? Going home, the media camped out, chasing her, the TV interviews?
13.Paco’s return, his motivation, Katie glad to have him back but not believing him, arranging the media interview?
14.The press conference outside the building, Ricky and Katie with the string, enraptured by the wonder, Ricky flying away, the effect on everyone?
15.Katie and her search, going into the water, Ricky reappearing, grown so much, comforting his mother, disappearing? Her being comforted?
16.Audiences suspending disbelief, accepting the realism, the serious tones, the change to delight? The focus on family, love and bonds?
