Somewhat long for a comedy, Jacques Tati's film has inventiveness, gags, warmth and a 'poetic' approach to satire. Film took two years to make. Tati has built it via comic juxtaposition of two ways of life - his, as the eccentric, independent uncle, alongside a super-modern, hygienic, materialistic brother-in-law.
Antiseptic house of Hulot's (Tati) relatives operates a myriad of time-saving but noisy electronic gadgets. Tati is the catalyst who unintentionally creates havoc. He wins over his nephew parents who have no time for him and who is only really happy during the wonderful escapades with his uncle. But Tati is finally sent off to be a traveling representative of the brother-in-law's firm.
Satire is not barbed or vicious and everybody can laugh at it and themselves. There's expert blocking out of the characters, creative use of sound, and eschewing of all useless dialog. An English version is nine minutes shorter.
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