'André Is an Idiot', But This Movie Isn't
Cancer is no laughing matter. Yet it’s such a heavy burden; sometimes, all we can do is laugh through the pain. André Is an Idiot is kinetic and hilarious, rather than somber, as a documentary about cancer would usually be. The movie could benefit from fewer crazy cuts, as the effects are distracting when it would be nice to just focus on the moment. André Is an Idiot is a personal story about someone that also feels like certain limitations are driving it. Although a very enjoyable film, it feels like something is missing as the picture powers through its short running time.
André is conducting his own personal story about his imminent approach to death. The reason he’s an idiot, as the title suggests, is that he kept putting off getting a colonoscopy. When one of his friends convinces him to finally get one, the results are the worst imaginable. Stage four colon cancer. If only André had seen his “A$$ Doctor” sooner, he could have been potentially saved from the tumor being terminal. Afraid to go to the Doctor, André faces the dilemma of never knowing whether what’s going on below is treatable. We all have that fear when we go to the doctor, yet we face it by seeing them. If you haven’t taken the Colonoscopy plunge before you’re 40, you really should get on board. Yet there’s also the other dilemma of, “What if I catch cancer early and it’s still untreatable?” Now that’s on your mind when it doesn’t need to be. Trust me, I’ve been through it. Yet André is an idiot because he probably didn’t have all that going through his mind. He just decided to get stoned while neglecting any medical help.
The movie shares an honest portrayal of André. He’s a likable guy you’d swear is a struggling comedian, but he's actually a successful marketer in advertising. His rebellious attitude earned him a career and a family, all thanks to his spontaneity and confidence. André is aware of the hypocrisy in his anti-establishment persona and his work for the establishment. Yet he makes it all part of his slogan. The picture's honesty lies in the fact that André isn’t necessarily the closest father. He’s not cruel or distant; he’s just not a big hugger or sharer. He deflects personal problems with humor and probably shares all his secrets with his best friend rather than his wife. Unfortunately, the movie seems like more of that honesty may have been left on the cutting-room floor. Given that we’re watching a eulogy celebrating a man’s life, it makes sense that they may have left some more complex material out of the film. The absence of such subversive elements makes the movie feel like it’s part documentary, part commercial.
There are some great scenes in this movie. The comedic timing between André’s philosophy and his bong hits is editing gold. Yet all of it feels a bit too much like one of André’s edgy ad campaigns. The movie needed some moments to slow down and breathe, rather than throwing in funny anecdotes to laugh at cancer’s face. André’s laughter isn’t merely a self-defense mechanism; it’s also a sign of bravery. When dying, those of us who are selfless don’t want others to wallow in misery, but rather enjoy life, for as little of it as may still be available. Life is worth living, as there may be nothing when we’re gone. So why not have someone make a documentary about your final days? The film has some pacing issues, yet it’s a small problem in an otherwise uproarious, fearfully relatable picture.
