L'Iceberg

This is Belgian film (so the comments about the French and Jerry Lewis are not only tired, but also not applicable) that combines clown/mime-like physical comedy and stylized set design in style reminiscent of Jacques Tati. The pace of the movie may be on the slow side for those accustomed to nothing but Hollywood fare, but this is by no means your stereotypical self-indulgent European art house cinema. The performances are great (especially that of the lead actress who won an audience award in Seattle) and if you like movies that show you something different, you'll love this one. It's almost like a comic version of "Open Water" (without the sharks) in the way it explores relationships.

Great situational comedy/drama! This is only the 2nd French movie I've seen (the 1st being Amelie) and I liked this one too. Every frame felt natural rather than staged, even though the actions and characterizations were deliberately exaggerated.

Nothing seemed overly long or pointlessly drawn out, although I do see one reviewer's point: if you prefer action movies, or quicker TV-type pacing, perhaps this won't be so hot for you. I don't mind slower pacing if it's well thought out. Each pause or drawing out was purposeful, and made the next action more meaningful, infusing much of the movie with anticipation if not suspense. The sets were perfect, giving enough for the characters to work with but not distracting. It's believable and touching.

It's often difficult to gauge the possible MPA (Motion Picture Association of America) rating equivalent of a Not Rated film. To cover all possible viewers who may not like to be surprised, I warn you that there is some brief casual nudity in the film. Thinking of things besides the nudity that could be awkward to explain to or watch with a kid, consider the complicated interpersonal relationships and the mother leaving her family for awhile to pursue her dream. You know how mature your family is; I would give this at least a PG-13 rating if not R. It's more enjoyable to watch a movie like this if you fully understand and appreciate what's going on in the movie, and I don't think I'd have 'gotten' a lot of this when I was younger.

The Belgian comedy, "L'Iceberg," is such a head-scratching little oddity that it is virtually impossible to describe it for anyone who hasn`t already seen it. It's a highly stylized tale of a young restaurant manager who decides to break away from her stultifying and humdrum existence after she inadvertently locks herself in a freezer overnight - only to discover, once she gets out, that her husband and their two carbon-copy young children have failed to notice her absence. Realizing her utter insignificance to those around her, Fiona strikes out on her own, abandoning her job and staying away from home for long stretches of time - eventually setting out to sea with a mysterious deaf/mute sailor she meets along the way.

Utilizing concepts straight out of the Theater of the Absurd, "L'Iceberg" pokes fun at the sterility of modern life, as Fiona finally breaks free of the bonds of domesticity and goes on a quest for love and adventure. Directors Dominique Abel and Fiona Gordon (who play the husband and wife in the film) have composed their film almost entirely of straight-on block shots, perfect for emphasizing the surreal spareness of the drama and setting. The lanky, bug-eyed Gordon, who looks for all the world like a cross between Frances McDormand and a stringy-haired Olive Oyl, plays Fiona with a mouth-breathing, deadpanned seriousness that enhances our empathy for the character and heightens the satirical nature of the piece.

Original in concept and bold in execution, "L'Iceberg" is irrepressibly imaginative and visually inventive in its cockeyed portrayal of the world around us.