L'enlèvement de Michel Houellebecq (2014)
Release Year: 2014
Nation: France
Alternative Title: El secuestro de Michel Houellebecq, The Kidnapping of Michel Houellebecq, Michel Houellebecq elrablása, Porwanie Michela Houellebecqa, O Rapto de Michel Houellebecq
Director: Guillaume Nicloux
Writer: Guillaume Nicloux
Production & Genre
Awards & Similar
Awards:
Similar: N/A
Keywords
Keywords: abduction, female full frontal nudity, female nudity, kidnapped man, writer
Story
In September 2011 writer Michel Houellebecq briefly disappeared off the face of the earth. Wild rumours began circulating on the Internet that he’d been abducted by Al-Qaeda or aliens from outer space. Some Twitter users even expressed relief that the controversial author was suddenly no longer around. This film now reveals what really happened: Three tough guys variously with impressive hairstyles and bodybuilder physiques carried off the star intellectual, taking him out of the daily stress of dodging autograph hunters and having his flat renovated and bringing him to a beautiful rural underdog idyll, full of dog grooming, bodybuilding demonstrations, junk cars and Polish sausages. But who was to pay the ransom?
Summary
In this deadpan comedy-drama, the famous and controversial French author Michel Houellebecq plays a fictionalized version of himself. The story begins with his daily routine in Paris being abruptly interrupted when three amateur kidnappers—a bodybuilder, a biker, and a mixed martial arts fighter—abduct him. Instead of a tense or violent thriller, the film turns into a surreal and humorous dialogue between the captive and his captors. While held in a suburban house, Houellebecq does not behave like a typical victim; instead, he complains about the lack of wine and cigarettes, negotiates his comfort, and engages his kidnappers in philosophical and mundane discussions about literature, politics, and the art of life. The kidnappers, who seem increasingly out of their depth, eventually develop a strange, respectful bond with their hostage, leading to a satirical exploration of the author's public persona versus his private self.
