Ever wonder what political world leaders talk about at their big meetings or summits? Rumours provides a satirical outlook on what the answer to that question could be. Guy Maddin, Evan Johnson, and Galen Johnson return to the big screen to co-direct this black comedy film. The movie premiered at the Cannes International Film Festival and made its North American debut at TIFF 2024.
The story focuses on world leaders at the G7 meeting in Germany, including the German Chancellor, the U.S. President, the Canadian Prime Minister, the French President, the U.K. Prime Minister, the Italian Prime Minister, and the Japanese Prime Minister. As they sit in a gazebo to come up with a plan to solve an unnamed crisis, they realize they have been abandoned and become lost in the woods—forcing them to work together to find their way to safety.
Rumour was filmed in Germany and Canada, primarily in Hungary and Winnipeg. The use of the forests in Winnipeg felt quite nostalgic and surprising to see in a feature film. Yes, Canadian forests have been featured in many popular media depictions, such as in HBO’s The Last of Us TV series. But, Rumours elevated the forest scenes to a different level that made it seem like they filmed some of it in a studio.
The film’s lighting colour palette stood out to me the most. To add to the absurdity of stranded world leaders, there were many metaphors woven throughout. The lighting reflected the characters’ emotions, with scared scenes shown in black-and-white as a nod to classic horror films. During romantic moments, the lighting shifted to a pinkish-red hue. The constant fog added to the ambiance as well, allowing the special lighting effects to be further elevated.
“Rumours provides a satirical outlook on what political world leaders might talk about at their big meetings or summits.”
The film’s biggest flaws were in the writing and story pacing. While the premise was strong, the actions the world leaders were given felt too tame. It would have been more interesting to see them fully embrace their roles as exaggerated political figures. That said, I appreciated how the editing skillfully avoided characters discussing real issues, with the sound primarily capturing gossip or drivel that had little to do with politics.
It was hilarious to see the Canadian Prime Minister helping many of the other world leaders, a clear depiction of Canada’s current prime minister. Rumours also portrayed him as charismatic and flirty, much like the current and some past prime ministers. The most absurd aspect, however, was listening to Charles Dance’s English accent portraying a U.S. president—it was a truly comical spectacle. This isn’t to say someone couldn’t be president with an accent, but it seemed so uncanny in this context.
Speaking of absurdity, Rumours featured some ridiculous props and makeup. Both departments deserve a shoutout for their stellar work, particularly with the zombie-like bog people and the giant brain. The set designer and/or set decorator also deserve credit for making the forest scenes reminiscent of classic horror or thriller films, like Sleepy Hollow or Silent Hill.
“Unfortunately, Rumours boasts a cast of great actors but lacks the engaging writing needed to make this satirical project truly entertaining.”
The actors splendidly portrayed caricatures of current world leaders. I didn’t expect Roy Dupuis, as the Canadian Prime Minister, to take on the role of the main character, but it was written well for him. Every character was imbued with a meaningful silliness. Charles Dance, as the American president who nods off and just wants some sleep, had to be a reference to President Joe Biden’s nickname, “Sleepy Joe.”
Cate Blanchett as the German chancellor was nothing short of sublime. She can always hold her own, from her time as Galadriel in The Lord of the Rings films to being the pretentious composer Lydia Tár in Tár. She nailed the accent and took up the screen when she needed to.
The relationships between each country’s representative head in Rumours reminded me of the satirical anime Hetalia, which featured one person per country represented as a character. The story revolved around WWI and WWII, and the series made the issues of the Axis and Allies easy to digest. It was funny to see Italy flip-flop between agreeing with Germany and then being friends with the personified U.S. or U.K. characters.
“The cinematography deserves praise for its different shots that add gravitas to certain scenes, even with its odd aspect ratio.”
Unfortunately, Rumours boasts a cast of great actors but lacks the engaging writing needed to make this satirical project truly entertaining. While the film has a lot to say, it isn’t paced well enough to keep general audiences interested. Those who follow world affairs closely will get a good laugh, but it could alienate viewers who don’t. The topic of AI chatbots was a thoughtful inclusion, suggesting that world leaders could allegedly be using them to find geopolitical solutions to significant issues. However, the film mocks even this conversation.
The cinematography deserves praise for its different shots that add gravitas to certain scenes. I was immediately thrown off by the aspect ratio, which didn’t commit to what many stylistic films use—either a 4:3 or 16:9 ratio. Instead, it opted for something closer to 16:10, perhaps to signal the film’s unhinged nature. The slow pan-ins and pan-outs were a tasteful horror camera choice, adding tension to certain moments. While it’s a strange choice for a comedy like this, it was still appreciated.
Rumours had plenty of opportunities to deliver major comedic moments, but the convoluted conversations fell short of making a lasting impact. If that was the intention, this movie risks getting lost in the crowded pool of releases this year. Yes, it features a giant brain to hook audiences, but it needed more substance. The 1-hour and 44-minute runtime felt like 2 hours at times, and if it had been longer, it would have definitely needed more jokes or a significant metaphorical symbol to anchor the narrative. This movie can be enjoyed casually by audiences, but it’s about as memorable as its score.
Check out more of CGMagazine’s TIFF 2024 coverage here.
