The Man in the Hat, written and directed by John-Paul Davidson and Stephen Warbeck, follows a man (Ciarán Hinds) who escapes in his Fiat 500 after he sees what appears to be criminal activity from 5 men driving a Citroën Dyane. A car chase through idyllic French locations ensues.
His peaceful evening of dining at a small restaurant on the harbor takes an adventurous turn, leading him on a journey through small towns in France.
Whimsical Tone
The Man in the Hat is a picturesque and languid film focusing on the beauty of its locations and the simplicity of its story. Whimsy comes through in every vignette this nameless man goes on through his journey.
The film skirts from place to place and incident to incident in a light and free-flowing way, which brings the most out of each seemingly unrelated moment.
The film builds the personality and wholesome nature of its lead character through these anecdotes which include activities such as watching bull-fighters, losing his shoe, taking his car to mechanics. Each moment is brought to life by unique and entertaining characters that we never see again.
Part of the whimsy and style of The Man in the Hat brings to mind the flow of Preston Sturges‘ Sullivan’s Travels as Sullivan journeys through meeting different people and falling into situations he never would have without embarking on this trek.
The man here goes through a similar journey, at times allowing for moments of joy, which never would have happened if he wasn’t sitting at that small restaurant at that exact time.
Ciarán Hinds wonderfully plays his character mostly through facial expressions, creating whimsical moments of comedy.
The Man in the Hat makes you want to be wrapped up in this picturesque world surrounded by people who need, and provide others with, a little kindness.
Limited Dialogue
The Man in the Hat is told mostly through action with very limited moments of dialogue. The film is paired with an exceptional score composed by Stephen Warbeck, one of the film’s writers/directors. This music highlights the light and engaging nature of the film, bringing to mind old silent comedies brought to life through their scores.
The lack of dialogue allows the comedy to grow and become something unique and engaging especially in modern times. Each character he crosses paths with provides their story through movement, sound effects, and facial expressions.
One of the most memorable scenes involves two mechanics expressing what is wrong with the man’s Fiat through only making engine sounds. In a playful and quaint way, this scene moves right into the man-eating dinner with the two mechanics. The Man in the Hat spends time establishing that kindness can be found, no matter how strange someone first appears to you.
This idea is peppered into every little story the titular man finds himself within throughout the film. There is a heartwarming and wholesome nature to the film, mixed with moments of surreality. This creates a perfect mixture bringing to mind the films of Wes Anderson and to a lesser extent, the surreal silence blended with wholesome small-town life found in David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, especially The Return.
The Man in the Hat works well with its limited dialogue by crafting a distinctive world where even in the middle of a car chase, people are kind and are given the time to rest, relax, and enjoy the journey more than the destination.
If you are expecting a fast-paced car chase film, The Man in the Hat will not be right for you, but there is joy to watching a genre so often focused around speed being instead filled with moments of inconvenience that melt away from the beauty of life that surrounds them.
Ciarán Hinds does wonders with the plethora of dialogue-free scenes found in The Man in the Hat. He gives life to every action, always providing the perfect mixture of facial expressions and pauses to express exactly what needs to be understood by the audience.
Conclusion
The Man in the Hat is a whimsical and playful film told through the mostly dialogue-free journey of a man played wonderfully by Ciarán Hinds. Its beautiful locations and quaint humor make The Man in the Hat an enjoyable ride.
The Man in the Hat releases May 14th in the US.
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