Directors Evan Johnson, Galen Johnson and Guy Maddin’s dark comedy Rumours portrays the situation of the inner workings of Western leadership in a time of crisis as a farcical satire, as comfortable played out on screen as perhaps on stage. As consistently sharp and witty as the dialogue is from its hapless leaders procrastinating over a joint statement of collective action in the middle of a German forest, it also is sobering, thought-provoking and timely in current unsettled times globally. The latter forever plays on the mind, even when presented with surreal moments that include the discovery of a giant live brain parked in the undergrowth.
The G7 leaders of Germany, France, United States, Canada, Italy, Japan and the UK – Cate Blanchett as summit host and German Chancellor Orlmann, Denis Ménochet as France’s Broulez, Charles Dance as U.S. President Wolcott (minus American accent), Roy Dupuis as Canadian premier Laplace, Rolando Ravello as Italy’s Lamorle, Takehiro Hira as Japan’s Iwasaki and Nikki Amuka-Bird representing the UK – sit down at Orlmann’s newly built veranda in the idyllic grounds of a castle, ready to construct a press statement based on their meetings. Beforehand, the party was made to pose next to a newly unearthed peat bog body during a photo call, the reasons for which may (or may not) become apparent later in the film.
As night-time falls and the wine flows, and personal issues overtake political ones, the seven leaders find they have been left to fend for themselves, after calling for service and getting no reply. Are they under attack? Or is it something more sinister at play? Acting as best as they know how to in such circumstances, the heads of state come up with a plan for survival.
Brilliantly acted and resembling an Armando Iannucci work that pokes fun at the dilemmas of being in power, Rumours competently fleshes out the personalities of the seven characters, deliciously ridiculing age-old country alliances and nationality traits, while suggesting other clashes in a ego-centric power play. From Laplace’s childish tantrums to Wolcott’s weary indifference at being the father figure of the Western world, indeed for the satire to work, Johnson’s writing does rely on stereotype. However, it also holds a mirror up to ingrained attitudes and prejudices, providing the film’s strengths and staged high points.
Where Rumours goes slightly off-piste is the B-movie horror moments that are perhaps, meant to depict intangible situations rendering its leaders impotent, and are amusing as the leaders react, but deliver half-hearted apocalyptic action flick tropes that amount to little more than a stab at injecting quirkiness. Depicting the imminent threat they face in this manner leaves it autonomous but also a tad frustrating. It also results in a surreal finale that provides no satisfactory conclusion. Still, Maddin fans will recognise his trademark expressionist horror touches. The brain scene featuring a cameo from Alicia Vikander as another disturbed G7 attendee communicating with the cerebrum is as irrational as it gets in this and is wide open to interpretation. There is a nod to the darker side of AI too, just to whip up social apprehension on its uses.
Rumours delivers highly entertaining political satire as the performances and comic timing are on point from a superb ensemble cast. What is perhaps questionable is staging the story in a doomsday, supernatural environment which feels like the filmmakers’ off-tangent attempt at injecting peculiarity, for fear of political satire alone not being enough to tempt viewers.
Rumours will be released in UK cinemas 6th December, 2024.
