In a final bout of self-loathing, young Londer Duncan decides to put an end to any future painful experiences, meaning he must end his life. The next hour reveals the five causes leading to this tragic effect: his failed relationships. While, at face value, Brit director Julian Kemp’s second feature, 'My Last Five Girlfriends,' sounds sort of banal, it's actually a captivating whirlwind of a tale, tapping into Michel Gondry/Charlie Kaufman-esque surrealism and wry quirkiness.
As we witness each relationship in Duncan’s life promisingly unfurl and then painfully diffuse, the film cleverly drifts in and out of surreal imagery. For starters, as a transition to his subsequent female endeavors, he wanders through a fantastical theme park called "Duncan World." It’s a jolly land filled with adventures like the Natalie roller coaster and the Gemma Drop (the only role played by a real notable, Naomie Harris). While each initially entice with the promise of quick thrills and endorphin boosts, things begin to excel too quickly or soar too high, and the landing easily becomes a painful splattering on the concrete (a quirky, if not too obvious, metaphor for his harsh break-ups).
Other than this escape into a satiric alter-reality of Freaks, realism is constantly surrendered throughout the entirety of Duncan’s traumatic relations. We also witness a "Divine Dating" matchmaking service (run by God) bring Duncan and a woman together, a girlfriend’s childhood acted out by Barbie dolls and a talking stuffed animal pressure him into having sex.
My Last Five Girlfriends, which was adapted from Alain De Botton’s bestseller, On Love, is a comic delight that resists the cliches of a typical romantic comedy. This is why the film succeeds: while the premise revolves around breakups, there are no pleas for sympathy, but instead Kemp turns pity into the sort of hilarity that everyone should laugh at—including our main victim.
Recommended: Yes
Look out for: Heavy metaphoric imagery and pseudo-intellectual claptrap.
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