Man Bites Dog AKA C’est arrivé près de chez vous (1992) is a darkly comedic mockumentary that sees a film crew follow the life of a serial killer as he goes about his daily routine.
The lack of onscreen gore takes nothing away from the brutality of the sociopathic, Ben. A role that owes everything to Benoît Poelvoorde who plays it (as well as co-directed) completely straight, almost as if you were following the daily life of any blue collared worker. As he recites poetry, admires architecture, is even playfully short with his girlfriend when they play music together, the movie somehow hypnotizes you with charm, leading you to forget you’re watching this horrendous creature commit some of the worst atrocities known to man.
In short, this Belgian masterpiece is a dark comedy in every sense of the word, but definitely isn’t for everyone. If slapstick and dad jokes are your thing, probably steer clear. However, if you’re curious to see how some of the darkest parts of the human psyche can be made humorous through a truly original medium, get involved.
Available on Netflix (US) & Amazon Prime (US)
Jacked In Recommends ‘Drop Dead Gorgeous’ (1999)
Seen through the lens of a camera crew, we (predominantly) follow the life of high schooler/make-up artist for the […]
Jacked In Reviews ‘Longlegs’ (2024)
We open on an Oregon farm in the dead of winter through the POV of what looks like a ‘70s home video. A young child […]
11 Ways ‘Wanted’ Is Miles Away From Its Darkly Bizarre Comic Book Origins
In 2008 audiences were met with the movie Wanted starring James McAvoy and Angelina Jolie. The story sees […]
Jacked In Recommends ‘Hereditary’ (2018)
Following the life of a dysfunctional family, as they grieve, this abysmal world and the characters within it […]
Jacked In Reviews ‘The Defender’ (2023)
Gary J Hewitt’s The Defender pretty much delivers what it promises on the tin. This is a story we’ve seen […]
Jacked In Recommends ‘The Iron Giant’ (1999)
The Iron Giant follows the story of Hogarth, a young boy who befriends a giant robot from outer space. Not knowing […]
Jacked In Reviews ‘Script in Progress’ (2023)
Bruno Guillard’s Script in Progress aka En cours d’écriture sees a documentary crew following creative […]