Denis Héroux
1975
98 minutes
This feels like Godspell with Jacques Brel songs, sung in English. Gird yourself for some grotesqueries.
This is not a good tool for introducing someone to the music of Jacques Brel. Instead you're going to put this in your pocket and wait for someone to gush with enthusiasm about Jacques Brel because of the French class they took in high school or (more likely) because they heard Amanda Palmer of The Dresden Dolls perform "Amsterdam" at one of her concerts (which she has done every time you've seen her). At that point you will ask this person if they know about the Jacques Brel musical. You will then put on this musical to gauge their response. They will either lovehate it with great irony or they will cringe out of their own skin, at which point you will have a laugh and put on some Klaus Nomi or the Tom Waits musical The Black Rider or some Depeche Mode videos or something similar that's more to their taste.
Either way it is unlikely that you will ever again raw-dog this musical by yourself completely sober in the middle of the afternoon, like you're about to do now. After this, you will be aware that this film is a thing that exists in this world, and that will be enough. Enjoy the silence and then move on.
Time to choose something different: