Goodbye to Language

“I hate characters,” a woman states in Goodbye to Language, and it’s clear she is speaking on behalf of her director. Jean-Luc Godard has little use for characters, narrative or drama these days – at least, in our conventional understanding of those terms – and instead his films exists as a multi-layered fusion of words, images, sound and ideas. Goodbye to Language is a challenging experience, but it’s also Godard’s most playful and endearing picture for years. This has something to do with the disarming presence of his dog Roxy Miéville, but primarily it's down to the fun the director has with his new toy: 3D.

Godard’s first 3D feature is, as you’d expect, unlike any other use of the technique that we’ve seen, with one confounding (and eyeball-straining) effect sure to be a major talking-point among audience members afterwards. It’s hard to think of another film in which the effect of 3D is absolutely integral to the viewing experience – in fact, it’s impossible to imagine seeing Goodbye to Language in any other format.

The decision to bypass UK cinemas and release the film on blu-ray is therefore a bewildering and self-defeating one, and a damning indictment of the current state of cinema culture in this country. How many people will be denied the opportunity to view the film because they lack the necessary equipment at home? And how many who have already seen the film at festivals be unable to enjoy the repeat viewings that Godard’s work demands? Even at a brisk 70 minutes, Goodbye to Language is dense with too many ideas and innovations to unpick on one viewing. One thing’s for sure: this old dog still has plenty of new tricks. [Philip Concannon]