by Frank Calvillo
In the 1920s, famed mystery novelist Agatha Christie disappeared for nearly two weeks, leaving not a single clue to her to friends and family with regards to her whereabouts or condition. When she reemerged, the details of her disappearance remained a secret which she took to the grave. Not long after her death in the late 70s, Agatha, a film starring Vanessa Redgrave as Christie and Dustin Hoffman as an American journalist, attempted to piece together what exactly happened to the famous author during that time.
Many years later, history repeated itself in 21st century France when acclaimed yet controversial author Michel Houellebecq, disappeared while on a book tour in 2011 for an extended period of time, prompting a variety of theories from both fans and critics. The post-modern and somewhat caustic Houellebecq eventually emerged, claiming his absence from public life was due to a lack of an internet connection.
Taken and intrigued by everyone’s reaction to the author’s explanation however, acclaimed filmmaker Guillaume Nicloux decided to craft a film around Houellebecq’s disappearance, centering around the proposed theory that the author had been kidnapped.
The Kidnapping of Michel Houellebecq opens on a period in the author’s life where he is at the top of his professional game with the release of his latest book. Intending to rest between engagements on a promotional tour, Houellebecq is cornered by three men named Luc (Luc Schwarz), Max (Maxime Lefrancious) and Mathieu (Mathieu Nicourt) in an elevator who abduct him for ransom and hold the author in a house in the south of France. The result leads to an experience which changes the ideologies and perceptions of all involved.
It isn’t long into the proceedings that The Kidnapping of Michel Houellebecq reveals itself as an absurdist comedy of manners. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the environment which Houellebecq finds himself being held hostage in. This is literally one of the most bizarre atmospheres for a kidnapping to take place. Houellebecq is kept handcuffed to a large plush bed in a fairly luxurious room as the three men have made it clear that they will not harm him and indeed want him to be comfortable. As a result, the trio are at his beck and call, fetching cigarettes and drinks whenever he wishes while the parents of one of the kidnappers invite him to sit down to four-course meals, a birthday celebration, and even buy Michel a prostitute.
Where The Kidnapping of Michel Houellebecq truly gets interesting, though, is in the various (sometimes heated) discussions which take place between the kidnappers and the kidnapee. Scenes involving conversations which begin rather casually end up becoming a battle of ego and intellect, especially with Luc, who feels his own views on life and philosophy come across as base and pedestrian in comparison to those of the renowned author. Houellebecq, for his part, toys with the men for sure, but also genuinely participates in an honest exchange of ideas and is in turn, slowly taken by their life perspectives.
As the four men begin to spend more time together, an unexpected bond develops between them which manages to surprise in its well executed subtlety and touching quality. The pinnacle of this is when Max, who has been the most masculine and stoic of the kidnappers, breaks down after revealing a heartbreaking life decision to Michel, which has been eating away at him.
Houellebecq and his kidnappers are all individuals cut from different cloths with separate and distinct ideologies, yet each have found a way of relating to one another in spite of their differences, as well as the extraordinary circumstances they are in.
Nicloux made the tricky, yet ultimately wise move to cast non-actors in the main roles and give them not a script, but rather a general scenario with which to build a situation from. Each of the men perform with such a dynamic energy, there’s no question the director made the right choice in selecting his kidnappers.
The real surprise, though, was the meta casting of Houellebecq to star as himself. The author is so comfortable on camera and engaging in every situation the director throws at him and his fellow performers.
The true story of what happened to the author may be nowhere near as spectacular as the film’s imagined one, but in the end it doesn’t really matter. What came out of Houellebecq’s disappearance is a true cinematic oddity that is in its own way, quite telling and unforgettable. It may indeed be just a theory, but its hard not to be fascinated by the way this bizarre piece of speculation plays out.
The Kidnapping of Michel Houellebecq hit DVD on August 25th, 2015 from Kino Lorber
