CIFF: Ricky

By Rob Christopher in Arts & Entertainment on Oct 8, 2009 9:40PM

This is part of Chicagoist's continuing coverage of the 45th Chicago International Film Festival.

First off: there's no way to really discuss Ricky without spilling the beans concerning its plot twist. So if spoilers concern you, here's the bottom line before you stop reading this post: go see this fun and thought-provoking movie.

Katie is a single mom working hard to make ends meet. Her little girl Lisa is the light of her life, and although her job at a chemical factory isn't the greatest it's enough to pay the rent for their council flat. Katie meets a new employee named Paco and they hit it off. Soon enough they move into together and Katie gives birth to a son. Lisa names her little brother Ricky. The new baby always seems to be hungry. One day two mysterious bruises appear on his back. Katie suspects Paco of child abuse and kicks him out. But they're a sign of something a lot stranger. Ricky is actually sprouting wings.

Filmmaker François Ozon has something of Steven Soderbergh's shape-shifting quality. His last film, Angel, was a lush romantic period piece; but here he's taken a kitchen-sink drama and crossed it with a fantasy vaguely reminiscent of Spielberg. And Spielberg damned well better banish any thoughts of a remake.The scenario itself is rich with metaphorical shadings (which thankfully the story underplays), and Ricky has moments where the ambiguous motives of the characters come under the microscope. Does everyone really want what's best for Ricky or are they just trying to cash in? Ozon gets a gold star for using references from Rosemary's Baby and Tod Browning's Freaks as red herrings.

But the best scenes are ones where Ozon goes for the comedy. Watching a winged toddler wreak havoc by flying around the inside of a big-box store is just plain funny, and the special effects are pretty remarkable. At its best, Ricky makes you chuckle about how much tougher parenthood could be.

Ricky screens October 14 and 20.