Leah and I went last night to see The Triplets of Belleville (original title: Belleville Rendez-vous) over at the fifth ave. The theatre was in fact the main reason I hadn’t yet seen the film. I kept hoping in vain it would go an play at Tinseltown, or really, anywhere but the Fifth, which is possibly my least favourite theatre in Vancouver.
The film, however, was excellent. Beautiful animation, a classic style with some modern twists, endearing characters, great music and numerous gags. The story, such as it is, is about a cyclist who is kidnapped by the French Mafia, and his grandmother & dog bruno, who both set out after him to rescue him from Belleville (a twisted New York, it would appear).
I won’t say too much, because it’s best to experience the film with fresh eyes, and virtually anything I say could be considered a spoiler in this film where the visual delights far outweigh any plot elements. But I will say this: Definitely see the film, if you’re a fan of animation, or comedy — you will enjoy it. The film is essentially in french, without subtitles, but none of the dialogue is important to understand the film (although there are some hidden gags within it — particularly if you’ve ever watched any french sports coverage).