The Ratcatcher is a short movie directed by Wes Anderson starring Ralph Fiennes, Richard Ayoade, and Rupert Friend.
Something that we can’t deny Wes Anderson is his style, his personal way of seeing life, nor his stubbornness to stick to it.
As happened in yesterday’s short film (“The Swan”), a nearly identical style applied to another story, with different literary characteristics (almost contradictory) but the same style, with those ochre and striking tones in a gloomy story treated as a comedy.
With the director’s very distinctive style.
Plot
In an English village, a reporter and a mechanic listen to a ratcatcher explain his clever plan to outwit his prey.
Review of “The Ratcatcher”
This time, the star is Ralph Fiennes, who plays the role of the rat exterminator and also, as in the other three stories, Roald Dahl himself. This time, it’s a dark, gloomy story but also with a lot of dark humor.
There is a lot of complicity with the viewer, as is usual when the narrators, participants in the story themselves, look directly at the camera without hesitation.
Once again, a self-aware style of filmmaking that reflects itself once again, this time in the other three stories, with a similar style. It resembles “The Swan” more in terms of its tones than “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar”.
It is a simple narration, almost without stylistic elements, and paradoxically, it allows the words to take prominence, even above the style, which is less grandiose and pronounced than in other occasions.
A perfect short film, both technically and narratively, that, however, leaves us wanting more in terms of its concept, this time being somewhat restrained in its aesthetic and narrative ambitions.
Director
Wesley Wales Anderson (born May 1, 1969) is an American filmmaker. His films are known for their symmetry, eccentricity and distinctive visual and narrative styles, and he is cited by some critics as a modern-day example of the auteur. Three of his films, The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), Moonrise Kingdom (2012), and The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) appeared in BBC Culture’s 2016 poll of the greatest films since 2000. Read more
The Cast
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes, born on December 22, 1962, is an accomplished English actor, film producer, and director. He has been a dedicated ambassador for UNICEF UK since 1999. Fiennes initially gained recognition for his exceptional performances on stage at the Royal National Theater, where he showcased his talent as a Shakespearean actor. He made his debut in the film industry by portraying Heathcliff in Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights. Read more
Richard Ellef Ayoade, born on May 23, 1977, is a multi-talented individual hailing from Britain. He has made a name for himself as a comedian, actor, broadcaster, and filmmaker. One of his notable roles was portraying the socially awkward IT technician, Maurice Moss, in the popular Channel 4 sitcom, The IT Crowd, which aired from 2006 to 2013. Ayoade’s exceptional performance in this role earned him the prestigious 2014 BAFTA award for Best Male Comedy Performance.
Rupert Friend, born on October 1, 1981, is an accomplished English film actor. He has gained recognition for his notable performances in various films, including his portrayal of Mr. Wickham in the 2005 movie Pride and Prejudice, Lieutenant Kurt Kotler in the 2008 film The Boy in the Striped Pajamas, and Prince Albert in the 2009 film The Young Victoria.
