In this French film, a young girl Jeanne (Noemie Merlant), has a night job working at an amusement park and falls in love with a new and exciting ride called “Move It." Directed by Zoe Wittock, the film deals with objectophilia, or the love of an inanimate object. Jumbo also covers the theme of being able to freely choose the object of one’s affections.
Shy and keeping to herself, Jeanne may have a special need, but the film does not delve into her particular situation or make it clear with a back story. Jeanne is talented, creating her own brightly lit amusement park in her bedroom at home. Jumbo contains poignant moments, humor, and a little spookiness as well, as Jeanne works alone at night cleaning up the amusement park after all the attendees have gone home. While not rated, the film does contain nudity and sexual fantasies.
Jeanne’s mother Margarette (Emmanuelle Bercot) is the exact opposite of her daughter —always dressing in sexy outfits to attract men, using somewhat crude sexual language in front of Jeanne, and pushing her daughter to have sex. Working at a bar, Margarette looks for new partners to live with after her broken marriage and now has a new partner. Margarette drops Jeanne off each day to work at the amusement park where Marc (Bastien Bouillon) is the manager.
“Move It"—or “Jumbo," as Jeanne names it—is round like an alien spaceship. “Jumbo” lights up, lifts, and rotates, giving its riders an exhilarating ride. When everyone is gone and the park is quiet, Jeanne discovers she can make “Jumbo” light up with her flashlight, and, she communicates with the ride by using the flashlight as well as by speaking to “Jumbo”.
At one point, Jeanne has a sexual encounter lying on the pavement in the ride’s lubricant. Marc, the park manager, is friendly and attracted to Jeanne. While Jeanne tries to have a normal sexual relationship with Marc to please her mother, it doesn’t work out and Jeanne feels she betrayed “Jumbo." This very unique and strangely compelling film is not for everyone, but the story will have some appeal. Optional for drama film collections at public libraries.
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