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Jumbo

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France · 2020
1h 33m
Director Zoé Wittock
Starring Noémie Merlant, Emmanuelle Bercot, Sam Louwyck, Bastien Bouillon
Genre Fantasy, Romance

Fascinated by all the carousels and attractions, amusement park employee Jeanne begins a very special relationship with Jumbo, one of the rides in the park. And soon, it turns out that Jumbo also communicates with her. A thrilling and unique romance ensues.

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What are critics saying?

50

Variety by Amy Nicholson

Eventually, Jumbo clatters to a stop with a tinny cheer for acceptance, a sugar rush of Belgian new wave music, and the sense that the audience has been taken for a bit of a ride.

50

The Playlist by Andrew Bundy

As an embodiment of existential anxiety, it’s often effective, but other than stunning composition work and a few blips of vibrant harmony, it’s largely empty as a romance.

50

Slashfilm by Chris Evangelista

Jumbo is a ride that might be worth taking once, but don’t be surprised if you walk away from it feeling more than a little disappointed.

67

IndieWire by David Ehrlich

Splitting the difference between “Terms of Endearment” and David Cronenberg’s “Crash” in a way that’s often sweet and surreal (but never sinister), Wittock essentially takes an ultra-familiar premise and coats it with the candied shell of something you’ve never seen before. It’s enchanting stuff, at least until that colorful layer of hard sugar melts away and you’re left to chew on the beige core inside.

60

Screen Daily by Fionnuala Halligan

Wittock has neatly sketched out her subject and a groovy neon palette for scenes involving Jumbo “himself”, but the story and general characterisation remains broad and thinly developed.

67

The A.V. Club by Katie Rife

This is a slight film, one that peaks early and spends the rest of its runtime shuffling its narrative cards, re-combining the same elements in different ways. But Jumbo still stands out, thanks to a concept and aesthetic much stronger than its story.

80

We Got This Covered by Matt Donato

Yes, the movie where a girl falls in love with a Tilt-A-Whirl says more about self-assurance, romantic wilds, and personal comforts than most human-on-human counterparts.

70

Los Angeles Times by Michael Ordona

It will surprise none of Merlant’s fans that she gives herself over to the role. Whatever you think of Jeanne’s attachment, Merlant lets you in on Jeanne’s feelings. You believe this really matters to her.

89

Austin Chronicle by Richard Whittaker

First time writer-director Zoé Wittock takes an absurd idea and imbues it with such heart, soul, and beauty that you'll automatically look past the inherent ridiculousness. Instead, you'll simply absorb its glowing sense of wonder.

50

TheWrap by Robert Abele

Wittock’s film is ultimately more of a well-intended melodramatic experiment than a fully realized love story about one of the more curious corners of humanity’s sexual-psychological tapestry.

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