Coma

"Pushes the boundaries of the so-called lockdown movie with its thrilling, chaotic form.... “Coma” [surpasses] the trappings of a lockdown movie: It may be anchored to that period, but it speaks to an existential crisis that defines many right now."

"Coma is a neo-Lynchian slow burn masterpiece that will wow those willing to embark on its tumultuous journey."

"Enigmatic and Lynchian, subversive and intelligent, by turns gravely sobering and laugh-out-loud riotous, COMA is a film like no other, playing with genres, styles, and form but always experimenting purposefully, in the end, blurring dreams and reality into an intelligent treatise on the modern world at the height of the pandemic it just faced."

"Bertrand Bonello offers up a spellbinding experimental film, a handcrafted work of creative genius.... It is an invisible, poetic, philosophico-chaotic map that Bertrand Bonello draws in Coma, an immersive experience of recentering of the self between life and death, a fragmentary essay about change, an indirect portrait of a young generation suffering, a cryptic dispatch of coded messages preparing for dawn at the heart of the cannibalistic night of the world...."

"...the deadpan levity and razor-edged awareness of Gen Z’s present both notable new dimensions to the corpus of a beguiling, unpredictable virtuoso."

"Bonello calls this film a “little gesture,” and in many ways it feels like an intimate story. But its wider resonance makes it a topical and quietly thought-provoking watch. "

"How valuable it is to have this pandemic-era dispatch from Bonello, one of the only directors since Lynch to grasp that in dreams begin responsibility."

"Bertrand Bonello’s Coma might be understood as a fascinating update of David Cronenberg’s body horror classic Videodrome, addressing the corporeal, psychological, and existential crises of our hypermediated age."

"“Coma” is a delirious marvel of a reminder that, in the right hands, there is no such thing as an unfeasible subject."

"Designed as a way to understand and reassure his teenage daughter, it deploys an imaginative range of techniques (3D animation, surveillance cameras, archive footage, etc.), ideas and aphorisms to reflect on the modern world and the fears of those who will inherit it."

"An achingly personal expression."

"The cinematography by Antoine Parouty is dream-like and beautiful......The performances in Coma are a testament to the talent involved. Babeque’s portrayal of the lead character is a masterclass in emotional range, making each emotion feel authentic and relatable. Faure’s performance as Patricia Coma brings a depth of empathy and humanity to a role that might only exist in the lead’s head. The voice acting during the sitcom segments strikes the perfect balance between comedy and drama, adding another layer of depth to the film.......Bonello perfectly captures that lost feeling brought on by prolonged isolation. All the days run together, compounding the sense of confusion and frustration. The comedy and drama balance each other well, while the varying styles create a wholly unique work of art that perfectly captures the uncertainty of the beginnings of quarantine."

"Thought-provoking exploration of adolescent life amidst the challenges of a global pandemic serves as a visually striking depiction of young individuals' complexities when their worlds are confined to the digital realm. It shows the reaches of creativity and the darkness of a world apart."

"Wildly experimental....a seductive curiosity."