Robeco Filmdag: Me and You and Everyone We Know

For those who have eyes to see it and are sensitive enough, the most elementary aspects of everyday life are full of absurd events. After seeing this film, it is obvious that Miranda July does have such eyes and sensitivities. Basically she does nothing less than invent a new kind of humour. Refined, dry, surrealist and far removed from the belly laugh. July herself plays one of the leading roles, as video artist Christine Jesperson. The film is set in the much less artistic environment of a sleepy suburb. To earn a living, Christine works driving a taxi for the elderly. She finds herself involved in a strange and unlikely relationship with the recently divorced Richard, a pretty sad shoe salesman. Richard brings two very entertaining and – for their ages – pretty perverse protagonists into the film, in the form of his two young sons Robby and Peter. But the film has no lack of strange types. Such as the trendy owner of an inflated gallery who greatly overestimates herself, but can’t see the difference between art and fake. A little revenge by July on her own art world. Every time it looks as if the bizarre and eccentric will get the upper hand, July brings the film back on an apparently normal track. In this way, Me and You and Everyone We Know balances beautifully between the astonishing and the incredible. A very funny balance. (GjZ)