A pretty amusing film that lives and dies on the intricacies of its design. Even in simple shots there's a lot of detail which means that even when the action isn't captivating there's something to look at. In fact, most of the fun I derived from the film was in seeing a lot of real parts of human interaction and daily life exaggerated and parodied. It can feel a little slow at times though, especially the restaurant scene which got grating towards the end.

# 71

Fantastisk - hele tiden er der detaljer og små hændelser man skal være opmærksom på.

In a word: Eccentric. Tati renders Paris in a distinct palette and visual style, filming with detached, very long shots. The camera is barely even interested in the main character. The sporadic chatter of Parisians and tourists blends into the scenery. Even more than Mon Oncle, Play Time exhibits a "Modern Times" sort of bemusement by modernity, modern architecture, furniture, gadgets, dances. A highly aesthetic film but nothing much as a comedy. It's never outright funny and does get tedious.

Tati packs every frame with interactions of people, architecture, machines, clutter, etc. to create a document of how humans could navigate an ultra-modern environment, while occasionally (read: constantly) fumbling to produce a few gags. It would probably take you days to analyze it all, and even afterwards, you would likely find something new every time you watched it. Truly one of the most rewarding films to view over and over again.

This is perhaps beyond words, and indeed it is fittingly short of dialogue, preferring to lose the viewer in an array of beautifully shot, and highly creative sets, imagery and screenplay. There is really no story, but the spirit is constant throughout, providing a link. Tati takes the role of the observer "looking in from outside" and seeks to find meaning in the chaos of the modern world. He finds emptiness, and struggle, but in itself this can prove remarkable and wondrous, if only for irony.

Neither compelling nor engaging in anyway, but never boring either. There's always a lot to look at but it all adds up to something rather dull.

When I was watching this film I felt like I was looking at a Rube Goldberg device: everything was magnificently orchestrated and choreographed and it was great to see it all play out.

I need to re-watch this some time to be able to provide commentary on it, but I certainly have a soft spot for this movie and its prequel, Mon oncle.

I have to disagree with critical opinion on this film. Although it is a smart, ambitious film I find it like watching two hours of jokes about architecture. Some people praise it for all they fit into a frame, but you can't possibly pick up everything that is going on in one sitting, does that make for a good film or just a difficult to watch gimmick? This is a film with no popular appeal, I doubt I could get a friend to sit through it let alone enjoy it.

#92

I have to quote Roger Ebert on this, because Tati's genius doesn't get any clearer than this: "It occupies no genre and does not create a new one. It is a filmmaker showing us how his mind processes the world around him."

People with their daily livings, no story, no special person, no fairy, no black ,no white! just lovely.

Totally boring, some scenes are brilliant though.

With a bleeding heart, I cannot rate this film any higher. Yes, I still love the style and the ideas, the ... innovative steps in mise-en-scene and storytelling that this film take towards a new era in modern film history. Yet, watching an italian dub of this film with weak subtitling, I was largely bored. Not nearly as fun as I'd expected and passages without Hulot himself, I simply disliked. You could say that irrationally I love it, and rationally I found it a drag with glimpses of genious.

It's only occasionally that this stuff is laugh-out-loud funny; the important thing is that it's never ever the least bit boring or tedious. The film moves along at its own pace, in its own world. It isn't quite like the real world, but it still says so much about real life. Above all, though, it's a simply awesome way to pass two hours: relaxing, though-provoking, and constantly amusing.

Visually breathtaking and nearly always vaguely amusing (but very rarely laugh out loud funny), Play Time was a disappointment to me after Mon Oncle, mostly because Mr. Hulot is hardly a central figure in it. That being said, Tati's sensibility is well captured and his cinematic genius cannot be denied, even if the results may be too idiosyncratic for most tastes.

probably a bit slow in parts, yet it generally progresses interestingly

Pretty interminable, for the most part. Well staged I suppose but if you find mime annoying then this is not for you. I wanted to like Playtime, but in the end I couldn't help being irked for most of the running time.

Two of the best and most enjoyable hours I've ever spent watching movies. I could discuss the elegant mis-en-scene, insane set work or subtle humor and attention to detail, but it's better seen than heard. Put simply, Play Time is an incredible film. It is smart, funny, beautiful and creative and it ends up simultaneously playing as escapism and as constant reminder that this absurd thing we call life is nothing if not wondrous. It may very well be perfect.

an hour too long

Wonderfully elegant, timeless dadaist comedy, with impeccable mis-en-scene, detailing the futile comedy of regular life. Let it wash over you.

Honestly, a big mistake in Tati's career, and this is a big fan speaking. His silent movie humor is obviously dated in the 60s, but he clings to old jokes, ironizing the same things he already did back in Les Vacances. Still, guaranteed to raise some laughs if you're in the mood for a silent picture.

Gorgeous looking a lot of the time, but with so few stakes and comedy that I'm not a fan of (the farting chairs was a definite low of the film) it was a little dull.

I had no idea what was being presented to me at the beginning of this film, but once I began to understand the filmmaking style & type of humour it was going for, I really enjoyed it. It was almost like a silent film, except not as much emphasis on slapstick. It definitely made me chuckle a number of times. I loved how there was always so much going on in each frame. You’d probably need to watch it more than once to see every joke. It was a little bit long, but I’m totally glad I watched it.