Flux Gourmet is out of its mind. The choice in voice-over completely contradicts the tone of the film and Gwendoline Christie’s (Game Of Thrones) performance, at least at times, feels out of a 1950s noir. Writer-director Peter Strickland (The Duke Of Burgundy) conceived a maniacal script rife with images that might make one hurl — and it all works. Flux Gourmet is not for the faint of heart but if one can stomach it, it's worth it for the jokes about flatulence and cannibalism. All visuals aside, the themes of artistry and pretension are so perfectly executed that many of the film's perceived flaws could also be seen as winking at the audience.
An unnamed sound catering collective begins its residency at an institute devoted to their specific art form, only to find that the owner, Ms. Stevens (Christie) is perhaps not totally on their side. The band consists of Billy (Asa Butterfield), Lamina (Ariane Labed), and their leader Elle (Fatma Mohamed). Ms. Stevens and Elle continuously come to blows over how music and food should be integrated into the show. Things go haywire when the two cannot agree on using a certain instrument in the show and everything goes to hell. Dinner conversation becomes more and more awkward and the press, as well as other patrons of the studio, begin to see the seems in the band. All the while, journalist Stones (Maks Papadimitriou) documents this entire saga while enduring an all-time bout of flatulence.
There is a lot going on in Flux Gourmet and there is a case to be made that it is as boring as it is enthralling. There are a lot of long takes and slow beats in the film, juxtaposed with grotesque imagery. Credit to the filmmaker for letting them live in harmony. Strickland is a pro and doesn’t let either aspect get in the way of one of the first and most important tenants of screenwriting: Conflict. It doesn’t matter if it's Stone at the gastroenterologist or the entire band in the middle of a set, there is conflict happening in every scene. The script is always ready to throw someone under the bus, creating an engaging experience throughout.
The central conflict of the film is Elle’s artistry vs. Ms. Stevens' pragmatism. For a movie so outlandish in style, it's almost jarring when it settles into being about upper management in the music industry. However, the themes surrounding the circumstances are perhaps the best elements of Flux Gourmet. When Mohamed's character has had enough, she predictably makes a big scene and starts to pee in front of Christie's Ms. Stevens as a sign of disrespect. Before she can even start, her bandmates begin to laugh. Though Ms. Stevens is ostensibly the villain, she is spot on in saying Elle's actions as an artist “wreak of entitlement” rather than her perceived notion of integrity.
The long takes, slower pacing, and repulsive visuals are techniques more common in thought-provoking horror, but Flux Gourmet is not a horror movie. However, it wisely implements certain shot choices and wardrobe to paint an eery feeling that mimics horror in a knowing fashion. The secret star of Flux Gourmet is Papadimitriou, who narrates these images not with 18th-century poetry but his inner thoughts on the fact that his character cannot stop farting. Considering the band uses food as instruments, it's a little on the nose, but it's also absolutely hilarious. The audience really doesn’t know what they're going to get from scene to scene and it is a thrill.
Flux Gourmet is a whirlwind and a welcome critique of exhibitionism. Strickland’s direction and script are constantly extenuating each other even when the film starts to feel off-kilter. The performances across the board are entertaining. Asa Butterfield (Ender's Game, Sex Education) is growing into quite an interesting actor and Ariane Labed is a fantastic newcomer to American audiences. The film's comedy is the cherry on top of a disgusting meal one has to hear to believe.
Flux Gourmet released in theaters and on demand June 24. The film is 111 minutes long and is not rated.
