Bong Joon Hohas established a style of zany, unsubtle storytelling with his American co-productions, and the latest,Mickey 17, is the most heightened, silly, and endearing of the bunch. The film starsRobert Pattinsonas Mickey, the subject of an unethical cloning practice used for exploitative and dangerous labor while traveling to and settling on a new planet, andNaomi AckieasNasha, a security agent to whom he is completely devoted.
Mickey 17is a high-concept work of science fiction, butthe heart of the story is one about labor and love.And in this respect, Bong’s film shares a lot of thematic overlap with one of the greatest silent comedies in Hollywood history:Charlie Chaplin’sModern Times.
‘Modern Times’ Is a Screwy Satire About Labor Exploitation, Much Like ‘Mickey 17'
Modern Timesserved as Chaplin’s sendofffor his iconic “Little Tramp” character,and follows the Tramp as a factory worker on a fast-paced assembly line. The Tramp must navigate the harsh and confounding conditions of modern, industrial life, leading to all sorts of mishaps. Thecharacter is sent tumbling through gears and machineryin one of the film’s most iconic sequences, constantly injuring himself or others while working. He unintentionally becomesa figure associated with workers' rights demonstrations,goes to jail multiple times, and gets fired from a variety of jobs.
The 10 Best Silent Comedies, According to Letterboxd
Spoiler alert: almost all of them star Chaplin or Keaton.
The film was one of Chaplin’s first forays into direct political or social critique, which would be expanded significantly inThe Great Dictator.Modern Timesturns a critical eye toward the excessive and exploitative nature of the industrialized world—one that operates at the expense of laborers and to the detriment of the human experience. The film was controversial to a degree and completelybanned from exhibition in Nazi Germany, whereit was dismissed as a work of Communist propaganda due to its depictions of unified labor resistance. Part-silent film, part-talkie,Modern Timesis one ofChaplin’s most ingenious, sentimental, and sharp effortsthroughout his legendary career. Nearly 90 years later, Bong’s latest film shows, unfortunately, how little society has progressed by tackling many of the same evergreen themes that this 1936 masterpiece hit on.
The Little Tramp and Mickey Both Ground Themselves Through Love in a Heightened Reality
Mickey and the Tramp both live in worlds that are moving too fast for them to keep up with and asking too much of them. But each film offers an element of humanism, camaraderie, andromance that acts as an anchor for its lead character.Mickey’s life (or lives, to be precise) is a nightmarish one, cursed to work until death over and over again, buthe is comforted by his love for Nasha. He tells himself that at the end of the day, he will go through whatever he needs to as long as he can still be with her. Their relationship is the beating heart of the film and drives the story to an ultimate, hopeful resolution.Love is the force that motivates change, action, and resistancein Mickey’s life.
The Tramp’s story is quite similar, as most of his actions,even when they lead to striking workers rioting,are driven by his love of Ellen, a woman he sees stealing bread and immediately falls for. The two circle each other throughout the film, and through all the cynical moments where the Tramp is beaten down by the strong arm of modern industry,his desire to be with Ellen provides the momentum of the story. The Tramp, in his cinematic farewell, is given an optimistic exit as he reunites with Ellen, content to live through these modern times as long as they are together.
Robert Pattinson Shows off Silent Comedy Star Chops in ‘Mickey 17'
Pattinson is, time and time again, proving himself to be one of the most capable, versatile, and interesting movie stars we have working today. InMickey 17, he sheds the steelier persona that theTwilightfilms orThe Batmancall for, instead embodying a silly, anxious sweetheart with a load of physical and personality quirks.Pattinson’s physical comedy shines through,and there are even a few moments where Mickey’s antics reflect the spirit of silent movie stars like Chaplin andBuster Keaton. This is especially seen in the dinner sequence with Mark Ruffalo’s character, where Pattinson must convulse and writhe around the room wildly for an extended period of time. But even in more subtle respects, seeing how differently Mickey 17 and Mickey 18 carry themselves is often hilarious and intentionally born out of an effort tocommunicate a lot about these characters through movement and body language.
Thanks toPattinson’s physicality, Ackie’s striking, expressive features, the orchestral score, and Bong’s stylish direction,Mickey 17plays likea movie that could work as a silent feature.Not only in the thematic DNA, but in the variety of cinematic languages used to convey what this story is about, Bong’s film follows in the long and storied traditions of cinema that movies likeModern Timesmade so popular.Chaplin’s legacy is made of pictures that offer thoughtful, funny societal commentary,crafty visual effects, and a hearty serving of silly,sincere humanity.Mickey 17checks all those boxes.
Modern Times
The Tramp struggles to live in modern industrial society with the help of a young homeless woman.
