We continue our journey into meta-movie making with JCVD.
A movie where Jean-Claude Van Damme plays himself? That seems like it would be one, long joke. In fact, that was the original intent of the project. Yes, JCVD has some funny moments, but it’s also a surprisingly touching character piece. Van Damme lightly pokes fun at himself as well as revealing vulnerable aspects of his personal life. JCVD opens with a five minute action sequence filmed in one take as Van Damme moves through a bombed out street, taking out bad guys left and right. Alas, the set falls apart at the last minute. Out of breath, the 47 year-old Muscles from Brussels just doesn’t have it in him for another take.
Van Damme deals with more than age. He loses a big role to Steven Seagal who finally promised to cut off his ponytail. JCVD begs his agent to get him into a studio picture. He'd gladly take scale if it meant passing on yet another direct-to-video B-movie shot in Bulgaria. More importantly, Van Damme loses custody of his daughter who admits to being embarrassed by dad’s work. As his wife’s lawyer runs down a list of the grisly deaths in each film, Van Damme can only sheepishly reply in broken English, ”All of my movies having heart.” Defeated, he heads back to his hometown in Belgium where he gets caught up in a hostage situation when thieves attempt to rob the post office. The police mistakenly believe Van Damme is the robber and the townsfolk rally around the crime scene in support of their hero.
The story unfolds in non-linear fashion as we get glimpses of Van Damme’s life and the events leading up to the robbery. The meat of the story tries to contrast Van Damme’s badass on-screen persona with his meek real-life counterpart. While commendable, the hostage situation feels forced and comes off as a cheap imitation of Dog Day Afternoon. The most interesting and genuine moments of JCVD find Van Damme dealing with everyday, ordinary life such as a cab ride with a mouthy driver. The centerpiece of Van Damme’s performance comes from a six-minute monologue, almost a confessional to the camera. It is here that El Mechri breaks the fourth wall, raising Van Damme above the set where he gives a candid, heartfelt soliloquy about his celebrity and past drug problems.
Mabrouk El Mechri is definitely going to be a director to watch out for, but the script is filled with unrealized potential. The robbery feels like padding. It’s as if the writers didn’t feel Van Damme’s fans would see the movie without shooting and violence.
Rating: **
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