Disco Lives!

Rating: Null/10 (13 October 2012)

While not receiving as much praise as I had hoped, a quick coup d'oeil of critiques concede its appeal, despite a few exceptions, who shall heretofore be referred to as les détesteurs (haters).
I'd like to thank les détesteurs for validating the purpose of this site. "High Concept" doesn't automatically mean "this movie sucks," it just seems that way because we've been served dreck. So we think looking to Europe, particularly France, led by les détesteurs and expecting to be served "high art" will replace those IQ points lost by domestic offerings. The real snobs are the ones who scoff at France revealing her quotidian side- you know, the masses that in actuality pay to see the high concept dreck that we serve them. Now, is that juste? Is thatAmerican?
It was an Englishman that coined the phrase "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; we were not ashamed to flatter him or his country by imitating (appropriating) their language. I suggest we allow ourselves to be flattered at their appropriation of our culture. Refusing would only further confirm their suspicions of how uptight we are, beginning with the R rating.
The story concerns a stereotypical white guy: uptight, hyper-rich, insufferable man of privilege who happens to be a paraplegic (François Cluzet). As is normal in such a circumstance, he requires constant care. The movie begins with him interviewing prospects, note to les détesteurs: He's does not attend a slave auction. Among the candidates is a stereotypical black guy: tall, muscular, bald, lives in the projects, in trouble with the law, ill at ease with the finer things in life (Omar Sy). Détesteurs: Did you notice that he's really black, like "direct from Africa black?" Your casting's way off.
If you can't suss out the story from here, you probably haven't seen "Trading Places," "Driving Miss Daisy," "48 Hours," etc. Those were all good, entertaining movies based on the same "cliché." The critics' log line would be "Black Man helps White Man become Better Person."
However, I would bet that you won't be able to predict everything- it is indeed a French movie so some ambiguity is required. For those with psychic cinematic gifts who do guess everything, so what? Predictability is not a bad thing; being predictably bad is a bad thing. The movies mentioned in the previous paragraph were all both predictable and enjoyable.
Instead of calling Omar Sy's character an "Uncle Tom" ensuring a Google legacy forever linking him with that slur, wouldn't it be great if instead, this film launched him as an international superstar? It's certainly time for a new face, especially a non-white, non-Anglo one. While I think Jean Dujardin will have a successful international career, I don't think Jamel Debouzze or Gad Elmelah (two established comedic stars in France trying to cross over) have the same comic talent or charisma, and his English is better. Before I rest my case, let me remind you of the most recent Francophone superstar: Jean Claude Van Damme.
Finally, I would like to explain the cryptic title. François Cluzot has been a critically acclaimed actor for many years and hopefully is recognizable to French movie fans. Omar Sy became famous in France on sketch comedy TV shows, like his compatriot, first-ever-French Best Actor Oscar winner Jean Dujardin.
But, the real star of this movie is us, the U.S., the United States. Not our bi-racial kumbaya movies. Not our appropriated high concepts and clichés.
The element(s) that bonds these two men is music, a specific genre of music born in America from an American group that epitomizes that genre like no other and eradicates any overtones of racism.
The recent tragic deaths of two of Disco's greatest artists, Donna Summer and Robin Gibb, retrained my perspective. Anyone who was lucky enough to be alive when Disco dominated everything also remembers the death knells that chimed deafeningly as it was killing itself through overexposure. For a brief time, admitting you liked it was an invitation for ridicule.
Now, let me ask: have you ever, let alone recently, been to a wedding, a bar mitzvah, a club where anyone requested Quarterflash, The Alan Parsons Project, or The Little River Band? It was they who vanquished Disco.
As we all know, Disco didn't die. Its call to dance has always been an affirmation of life.
So, for a life-affirming, feel good movie, it's only right to credit Disco as the true star.