CQ (2001)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Roman Coppola

Writer (WGA):

Roman Coppola (written by)

Release Date:

29 January 2003 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Comedy | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

Every picture tells a story

Plot:

A story of a young film maker who moves to Paris to make Sci-fi films.

Plot Keywords:

Director | Secret Agent | Film Industry | Sabotage | Movie Producer

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Jeremy Davies	...	Paul
Angela Lindvall	...	Dragonfly / Valentine
Élodie Bouchez	...	Marlene
Gérard Depardieu	...	Andrezej
Giancarlo Giannini	...	Enzo
Massimo Ghini	...	Fabrizio
Jason Schwartzman	...	Felix DeMarco
Billy Zane	...	Mr. E
John Phillip Law	...	Chairman
Silvio Muccino	...	Pippo
Dean Stockwell	...	Dr. Ballard
Natalia Vodianova	...	Brigit
Bernard Verley	...	Trailer Voiceover Actor
L.M. Kit Carson	...	Fantasy Critic
Chris Bearne	...	Fantasy Critic

Also Known As:

CQ (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for some nudity and language.

Runtime:

88 min | France:91 min (Cannes Film Festival)

Country:

USA | Luxembourg | France | Italy

Language:

English | French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14A | France:U | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Luxembourg

Company:

United Artists

Trivia:

Sofia Coppola suggested Angela Lindvall for the role of Valentine/Dragonfly.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Dragonfly swerves her car in reverse in the tunnel, there are skid marks already on the ground along the path her tires take.

Quotes:

Enzo: Now... there are two kinds of movies: those with an ending, and those that don't have an ending. This movie needs an ending.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Thirteen (2003)

Soundtrack:

Le Responsable

The Creative Process of Howard The Duck

The creative process should boggle anyone's mind. I mean if you took one look at the time and energy exerted on one motion picture you'd probably scream. Sure some movies deserve the time spent on them. Nobody is going to begrudge the creative team behind 2001: A SPACE ODYESSY or CITIZEN KANE. But what about the creative team behind HOWARD THE DUCK. Did not talented people put just as much time and energy into that film? CG is a film about the creative process thru the director working on a film just a stupid and banal as HOWARD THE DUCK.

It tells the story of a young and talented film editor named Paul (Jeremey Davies, Spanking the Monkey) and his short stint as director on a B grade science fiction film in 1969. The film about a secret agent named Dragonfly (Anglea Lindvall, New York Stories). It's Moonraker meets Charles Angels. This film is directed by a creative visionary named Andrezej (Gérard Depardieu, The Closet). After months of editing the end still needs to be reworked, and Andrezej has been thrown off the picture because his producer (Giancarlo Giannini, Hannibal) he taking for to long to finish.

Andrezej is replaced by a snotty kid named Felix DeMarco (Jason Schwartzman, Rushmore), he's the kind of guy who doesn't deserve to be where he is and everybody knows it. When tragedy strikes the new director. Paul is called in to finish the picture.

First time director Roman Coppola, has crafted a disjointed but still overly satisfying film. Making movies is a game of luck and CQ (The Morse Code phrase for Seek You) has some real moments of brilliance. It's about the lengths money men will go to make a picture, it's about compromise, and it's also about the creative quest to make an audience happy all while keeping yourself from going crazy.

Jeremy Davies is one of the most underused actor's in Hollywood. He does so well with each and every performance, even if the films suck (See Million Dollar Hotel, for example). His Paul is both nervous and yet calculated. He hides in the shadows only to jump out and surprise you. Like any number of craftsman and artisans he's the real talent and he props up those around him.

I loved how Coppola, counterpoints the silly B movie with Paul's other black and white art film. Paul is making this drippy and disjointed film at his house. It's this surreal black and white film that features disjointed takes, and exists for arts sake more than anything else. Of course it's silly and pretentious, but in the end it's all about creating your own film, and moving on with your life. Plus it's really an excuse to p*ss off his live in lover Marlene (Elodie Bouchez, Dreams of Trespas).

Marlene is a good counterpoint to Dragonfly or Valentine whom is the lead in the movie. She's the woman Paul truly lusts after. Each women stars in one of his movies and you can tell which on he thinks is a hero and which is a villain. This gives Paul a flawed dimension and these women bring out the two faces of this talented man.

Overall CQ is a tad vague. I liked it that way; something tells me if I knew what Coppola was truly trying to say it would be quite a letdown. Thankfully I will take my interpretation and leave it at that.

I also loved the B-picture itself. It was campy and silly. Like Austin Powers without the laughs, and tons more style. Lindvall was the perfect choice for Dragonfly because she looks like a Model in the Sixties. Like a Breck girl from the 60's.Plus, Billy Zane's (Titanic) small roll as Mr. E, is so goofy and yet so suave you can't help but be pulled in.

CQ is not for everyone and a nominal understanding of the creative process of film will enhance it. But if you're looking for something a little different, a little out of the ordinary, and a little weird, give CQ a try.

**** out of 5