User Reviews

Five vigilantes dressed in blue who can invoke, death, destruction from the compounds in their smoke, Mercury and Nicotine, Ammonia, Methanol - Benzene, plus a rat who dribbles green, you wouldn't stroke (unless you were an attractive young lady with a fetish for vermin, they do exist apparently!). Sent away to come together and prepare, revealing stories leaving eyebrows in the air, hats that change wearers perception, machinery of misconception, defective robots lead to anguish, gloom, despair. Then Lézardin decides to stub earth's light, extinguishing a planet with his clout, can Tobacco Force exhale, create a cancer to avail, getting hooked into a cycle, with no way out.

Quentin Dupieux never seems to make a conventional movie, and for that, I love him. The bizarre imageries of his imagination makes me curiously wonder what his daily thought process is. For Cigarettes Causes Coughing, it's yet another subversive trek that will leave you confused and wanting more explanation.

The American advertising made this look like a weird take on Marvel movies, but as usual, it morphed into something else entirely. We have a superhero group that is in malaise, breaking due to other conditions of the typical human experience. Jealousy, selfishness, family obligations and so forth are making them ineffective in the field. So what is needed? A group retreat.

But we don't see any real hashing out of emotions or team building per se, it's mostly just existential dread and stories about the inevitability of death. It's always a tough sledding to figure out what Dupieux is trying to convey, simply because his version of reality is rarely coherent. Amidst the washed out color of the worlds he creates, he leaves all meaning for the viewer to decide. What would happen if Nick Fury was in the middle of a love triangle with Black Widow and Captain Marvel? It's one of those weird scenarios that I am sure Dupieux thinks of while sipping his cognac.

The trick to watching these types of meaning is to understand there might not be one, or it might require some reading to figure it out. On the other hand, they sure are strange and entertaining anti-film.

One thing that movie fans can say unequivocally about French cinephiles is that they often possess a love of absurdist humor, both in the films they watch and in the pictures their countrymen make. That's been verified once again in writer-director Quentin Dupieux's latest, a wacky, wigged out sci-fi/fantasy comedy that's truly one of a kind. The film follows the campy exploits of the Tobacco Force, a Power Ranger-like troupe of superheroes who take on cheesy-looking monsters and villains with their martial arts skills, as well as their ability to emit toxic chemicals (like nicotine) in ample quantities to quickly vanquish their foes. However, in the wake of their latest successful mission, their commander (a randy lookalike cousin of TV's lovable alien Alf) orders them to go on retreat to work on their team building skills to compensate for a recent tendency toward too much individualism. And, once there, they work on their bonding by spending much of their time telling stories - truly bizarre ones - that have nothing to do with them or their mission. In turn, these assorted vignettes essentially make up the bulk of the film. Viewers (myself included) might wonder why the picture is constructed in such a way, given that it plays more like a collection of bits loosely strung together by a thin central narrative. But that didn't stop me from laughing, though - and quite a lot at that. From the standpoint of a movie that has a solid, well-crafted story, "Smoking Causes Coughing" fails miserably. But, as one that tickles the funny bone, the picture hits a string of home runs. Yes, it's silly and nonsensical, and it's far from epic filmmaking, However, as something that evokes huge chuckles for their own sake, this one is hard to beat. So, as long as you don't go in expecting auteur-grade cinema, you'll be fine if you accept this one just for what it is - a vehicle for making us laugh at a time when we can really use it most.

The avenging "Tobacco Force" group of crime fighters is struggling to function. After many years of combating enemy beasties using their superpowers - the chemicals that, when combined, cause cancer - they are all just falling out of synch. This has not escaped the notice of their ferret-like boss "Chef Didier" who sends them all to a remote retreat where they are to work on their teamwork skills. Around the camp fire, one decides to regale the others with his most terrifying story - and thereafter, one by one, they proceed to outdo each other with increasingly incredulous stories whilst the two women of the group - "Nicotine" (Anaïs Demoustier) and "Ammoniaque" (Oulaya Amamra) pine over the spurned affections of their really pretty revolting, dribbling, boss (anyone remember "Roland Rat"?). For a while it's quite quirkily entertaining, this film - but after about half an hour the joke has worn thin, the pace drops off and the whole thing just loses it's way. It is original - at times it reminded me a little of "Galaxy Quest" (1999), and clearly there is a warning against using the dreaded weed, but Quentin Dupieux didn't really have enough material to sustain this - even for eighty minutes. That said, it is still worth a watch and there are occasions when it made me smile - just not enough of them - and on the telly will do fine.

Quentin Duplex wrote the very weird, 'Deerskin', which I did enjoy. And this is just as crazy as that. I admit the trailer for this, is very bad, and really does not do the film justice, as it's entertaining, and is short too. It certainly earns its rating for violence and gore, buckets of blood, monsters get killed, and the stories that are shared during the movie and the whole film story itself, is bizarre, funny and quite mad.

The story is about a sort of super hero group with names about smoking, it's metaphoric in nature, but their actions are not. The five key players are very likeable and written well, the production design, costumes and whole look is 1970's Japanese Kaiju movies / Power Rangers rip off / homage, done crazily. But it works, just, thanks to the short run time and performances too.

Some great effects that are done real well, and used sparingly, and the tone is not to be taken seriously, which you can't, and that's the point. 6/10 for this, just not enough for a 7. A limited release and audience for this one, if you can find it. The ending is just as nuts as 'Deerskin'.

Welcome to the wonderful and bizar world of writer and director Quentin Dupieux. I have been walking on this very place called earth for many decades now and I must confess I have never ever before met any director as uniquely weird (and unnervingly funny) as director Quentin Dupieux.

I have seen ALL of his movies and this is one of his less weird scripts, but BEWARE, less weird in Quentin Dupieux' world means it is still the craziest, most unnerving and thoughtprovoking story you will have ever witnessed. I am dead serious!

It's at first an unassuming simple and playful story about some action heroes. Then it turns into a macabre (yet still hilariously funny) story about a woman who finds a helmet and suddenly becomes a serial killer. And it ends on a "lighter note" about the destruction of the entire planet depending on some galactic recipe for soup.

Forget about the story though. Forget about trying to make sense of it all. Fish can speak. Dismembered body parts can still smoke. And making love to a acid vomiting puppet is sexy. It doesnt make sense, but it doesnt need to. It's a Quentin Dupieux world on it's own. It's almost as wonderful as dreaming...and having a good laugh while at it...

Yes, welcome to the extraordinary world of director and writer Quentin Dupieux.

Highly recommended. Such a shame Dupieux' work isnt released on a much wider scale. So many folks, from so many countries would be delighted to see this French director/writer genius at work!

Thank you for reading my 2000 th review on Imdb!

Collecting some vaguely creative ideas and putting them in a movie without any real work cannot make a good result. Some projects may lack some budget and compensate with creativity. Here, we get the exact opposite, with a huge cast trapped into a non-existing direction. You'll always find some people to find it's genius or whatever. These people are only trying to look cool.

The movie is excessively short and boring at the same time. The stories composing the film are all shallow and its "modern" messages are not subtle at all. Either people won't get them or people will find them simplistic.

If Quentin Dupieux started working a little bit harder, maybe the result would deserve some interest and show some respect to the audience. Here, we are served something without any care or teste. The movie is emotionless. Because it seems inspired by Peter Jackson's early works and the Metal Heroes era, it should at least have their spirit and energy...

Actually they are not ... or are they? Well anyhow, no pun intended. Also do not try this at home - smoking is not good. And since we are not able to use it as a weapon (see the movie for more), we best not start with it in the first place.

Now if you have seen a Quentin Dupieux movie before ... I do not have to explain to you what you can expect. If you haven't ... it is tough to prepare anyone for what is to come. It is silly and it is quite dark (humor and otherwise) ... and yet it really hits the spot when it comes to jokes. You have to dig them of course. Having really known actors in his movies now too - even in smaller roles. Also do not try to make sense of things - this sort of has a coherent story, but not in the sense you may be used to.

Also in the vain of superhero movies there is a scene after the credits. Which is a first for the director if I am not mistaken ... anyway, it makes sense ... again as much as possible, considering the camp fire tales and the "monsters" in costumes we get ... this is weird - just the way you hopefully like it.

If you want a movie that is weird to the point where you're wishing you were reading a 700-paged Bertrand Russell (he was a philosopher , mathematician, and SMOKER) book instead-then put this film in front of you. Otherwise, I find the film's supposed hilarity, that so many viewers think it definitely possesses, about as brilliant as a dog's critique of The Great Gatsby.

How are people finding this film a good way to pass the time?

How are reviewers enjoying even five minutes of such detritus? They give this gory and unfunny piece of "art" the time of day?

I tried to give Smoking Causes Coughing a chance, despite the maddening weakness enveloping the whole thing.

However, I walked out of the movie theater following about an hour and ten minutes of viewing. I'm surprised I sat in front of it as long as I did.

Weak!

Quentin Dupieux creative mind works with (t)his movie. He delivers like he did with the movie wrong cops, hilarious and something to think about.

I am a fan of his movies, that has it all.

The movie makes you wonder, relativize and think about human philosophical themes.

Also makes you laugh at some scenes how silly and contradictional people are.

Baracuda, robot, hat, love, social bonding, rat, fear and smoking.

Do not read what the movie is about and experience it yourself like something new without knowing in life.

Just as life you do not need many words in the movie to explain it but experience it.

What two people find funny isn't going to be the same thing and this comedy is going to be hilarious for you or unbearable. I found it to be the former.

To like this movie you need to enjoy these types of shows: B-Movies like The Room or Troll 2, Black Mirror, Rick and Morty, Garth Marenghi's Dark Place, etc... If you go in looking for this movie to teach you something or 'make sense' then I'd recommend seeing something else, but if you're a goofy guy like me and would laugh at a robot killing itself by driving into a lake or Power Rangers named after cigarette ingredients high fiving for 5 mins while covered in the guts of a turquoise that they gave cancer to then you're in for a treat.

On a technical note while this moving is dripping in B-movie tropes it still manages to have an excellent cast that all are memorable in some capacity and filmed with great shots in beautifully rich colour.

Let's make one thing very clear: I like fiction films, some of my favorite films are the craziest in history and I'm even a person with a sense of humor, but none of that helps with something like this.

This is one of those films whose idea someone thought was brilliant, which he then shared with someone who also liked it, an idea which financing was arranged for, an idea which was turned into a film which must have taken a long time to finish, and which in the end some people watched and rated it OVER SIX POINTS for quality on IMDB!!!!!!!

None of this makes sense, except in a parallel reality, where "cinema" has to mean something completely different than here.

Quentin Dupieux never disappoints. Not here or never anywhere else. He is one of the most original, daring and creative directors active in filmmaking today.

Everybody has seen Rubber, and if you haven't done so then you must asap.

It's incredible.

This new movie from this visionary is perfect for late night viewing with friends upon returning from a night out or maybe even before venturing out for the evening.

It's French.

It's fun.

It's funny.

It's like a real version of the power rangers if they were in France.

Oh, it's everything you'd expect from that description alone.

It's a fantastically short hour and seventeen minutes.

There is a post credits scene.

The story starts out as action packed as it can be and then transitions to more or less chapter storytelling much like a Tales From The Crypt or Twilight Zone.

It is delightful and refreshing all the way through.

I'm also glad thus far no American filmmakers have tried to remake Dupieux's magic because that's what his films are, magic. And I just don't think they'd translate well to American movies.

Part of the charm of these films is because they are French.

And it is sad when we have to wait for this director's next effort here in the U. S.. Until then, au revoir.

No one does "offbeat" like Quentin Dupieux does. From one film to the next there's no telling just what he's going to give us, from the absurdity of 'Rubber' that obliterates any notion of the fourth wall, to the deadpan delight of 'Deerskin,' to 'Reality,' which toyed endlessly with conceptions of, well, reality. It's all but impossible to meaningfully describe his films beyond a uselessly broad phrase, and his latest project is emphatically kith and kin in its own way. 'Smoking causes coughing' ('Fumer fait tousser') is an anthology flick after a sort, yet in a manner more askew than that of any other I can readily recall, and with a brand of humor that is entirely Dupieux's own. I don't think it's unreasonable to say that the man's works are an acquired taste, and for a niche audience at that, yet if you can get on board with what he's doing then there's no going wrong - this is a blast!

From the fantastically over the top opening, to the deliciously subtle, left-field ending, and with every joke and low-key gross-out gag along the way, this 2022 picture is wonderfully imaginative. One expects as much from Dupieux, certainly, after even just one past encounter, but still he impresses with his wholesale willingness to cast conventions aside and embrace every most wild, whimsical idea, no matter how outrageous. So the fact that this bounces almost at random between unconnected stories, framed by the tale of a superhero team named after chemicals in cigarettes and modeled in various ways after established, famous properties? Inasmuch as one can truly "expect" anything from the filmmaker, this is precisely as wacky and wondrous as we would hope. The opening scene is maybe the most "normal" that the feature gets, in fact, for with each miniature narrative in turn, and absolutely with the overarching saga, the only storytelling choice Dupieux can be relied upon to make is one that doesn't just defy but which altogether laughs in the face of assumptions. And I couldn't be happier with just how fun it is!

For all the ridiculousness, the film is defined by only the utmost expertise and professionalism in terms of its craft. Serving as both cinematographer and editor, in addition to writing directing, gives Dupieux substantial control over his own product, and his skills in every regard are without question. The cast wholeheartedly embrace the nonsense and play it straight, only furthering the slant in the process, and it's a joy simply to watch them ply their trade under these circumstances. Those behind the scenes, meanwhile, did great work all around, not least with regards to the fabulous, considerable blood and gore and other practical effects. Yet everything from the costume design, hair, and makeup, to production design, lighting, and even digital effects are swell, at once deliberately feeding into the cheeky inauthenticity of the whole affair while ably serving the intended needs. And come to think of it, maybe that's the unifying ethos behind Dupieux's pictures - an unlikely balancing act between brazen contrivance and abject fancifulness, twisting both into oddball shapes with the most tremendous of vision. However one wishes to try to classify it, the end result speaks for itself.

When filmmakers pursue quirkiness as a chief trait of their work, there are many ways the endeavor might go. Some lean so hard into the strangeness that they forget to tell a story or do anything interesting; others tread the same territory time and again, and while the repeated journey is enjoyable it's more susceptible to complacency and staleness. Then there's quirkiness as Dupieux does it, where anything goes and the only certainty is that we'll be thrown curveballs we can't anticipate. Of course that means that his features are likely to appeal to a smaller audience than they otherwise might, but for those who appreciate all the wide possibilities of what cinema has to offer, it's a new and stupendous trip every time. 'Smoking causes coughing' is as uniquely smart and superbly made as anything the man does, and I just couldn't be more pleased with how far-out and entertaining it is. One should think hard on what type of films they're open to watching, and specifically to think on the most off the wall presentation they're willing to try, before ever even looking for this. It's well worth the ride, however, and I gladly give 'Smoking causes coughing' my very high and enthusiastic recommendation!

Smoking Causes Coughing (French: Fumer fait tousser) is a 2022 French comedy SF/Horror anthology film written, shot, edited and directed by Quentin Dupieux. Truly bizarre with superheroes in Power Rangers gear, Tobacco Force, battling an evil sentient giant tortoise.. They kill him by combining their powers to give him cancer and he explodes, showering the force's fan with blood and guts.. Their boss bears a passing resemblance to a womanising Roland Rat/ALF hybrid. Most of the stories take place around a cmpfire or in a kitchen, related by a little girl and a fish which speaks as he tells the tale, they literally grill him. Tales of woe as people get trapped in wood chippers but the stories are nested and the special effects are deliberately B movie bad, Strange humour, at ties juvenile delivered with both shoulders giving a Gallic shrug. 7,5/10.

Unlike what the trailer portrays, this film is far from a straightforward power rangers comedy. I came into this film fully expecting deadpan comedy, but what I did not expect was the complete lack of plot and thematic consistency.

Almost a half of the film is dedicated to nonsensical anthology style short films, with a completely different tone for the uninitiated. Deadpan, yes. Overtly adult themes? Sure. Semblance of a plot or anything meaningful to say. No.

If you are not familiar with modern french absurdist cinema, do not approach this film without some insight, it is not enjoyable and dishonest towards its promo.

I have not seen that many French movies, but this movie was one of the weirdest and/or random movie I have seen that came out this year. I will try to give my thoughts on it the best way I can without seeming like a fool talking about a movie that is stupid looking for anything smart.

The acting is fine, but I do not know much about the characters except for the intricate details they say about themselves. Then there is stuff like the "Tobacco Forces" having a commander/leader that tells them what to do who is a French talking rat puppet, which was weird seeing when he would show up.

A lot of weird stuff involving talking fish and weird looking monsters, then you have them telling these weird stories that we do see. These stories were very weird, and I was having a tough time following what was happening for all the randomness that is happening.

The action scenes when the "Tobacco Forces" eventually fight creatures they look like Power Ranger fights because of the choreography and the outfits they wear. I would have liked a better focus on the plot and a bit more of an explanation to what Is happening.

I do not know what to feel about this movie, but I can say it was creative, funny, and sometimes disturbing. If this is not your kind of movie then that is fine, but I will only recommend it for the weird creativity it has from the director.

This is basically a Japanese genre movie with men in monster suits and Ultraman like superheroes.

It's got two basic things going for it: it's short, running at roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes AND it's briskly directed to keep your attention.

In some ways I think the audience for this movie is a kid type audience maybe not little kids but video games kids. Except that there are some gross violent scenes so maybe not.

So is it any good? It's mediocre at best. Relatively creative but the story-line gets old fast. I was sort of bored toward the middle and the boredom didn't go away until it was over.

Stars an odd group of fantastic vigilantes called the "tobacco-forces", the five super heroes are nicotine, benzène (benzene), méthanol (methanol), ammoniaque (ammonia), and mercure (mercury), their names are all chemical components found inside cigarettes and now they're falling apart. To rebuild team spirit, their leader, Benzène: Gilles Lellouche, suggests that they meet for a week-long retreat, before returning to save the world.

Cinema Indie's 'Enfant Terrible', Quentin Dupieux (Yannick, Mandibules), directs this surreal, sloppy fantasy comedy full of stories as extravagant and bizarre as the film's premise. After annihilating a dangerous giant torture facing off against them, the ungainly tobacco patrol formed by a motley team uses the negative energies of tobacco to drown their enemies until they die, they receive the order to begin a retreat that strengthens the cohesion of the group and allows them to defeat Lizard, a villain who intends to destroy the earth before the year ends. From there, the tacky story of the retreat joins the stories of the eccentric protagonists in a spiral of dark humor, full of puddles, unpredictable characters, incongruous events, ramshackle gore and lousy special effects. The cast is largely unknown to the general public, except for Gilles Lellouche, Vincent Lacoste, Adèle Exarchopoulos as Céline and voice by Alain Chabat as Chief Didier.

Mediocre and somewhat blurry photography mainly in the South of France: the opening scene was shot in the quarry Cabrières d'Avignon, Vaucluse; the lake in Lac de Peïroou, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Bouches-du-Rhône; the sawmill in Les Mages, Gard; Uzès and studios of Provence, Martigues, Bouches-du-Rhône, Francia.

This absurd motion picture was mediocrely directed by Quentin Dupieux and it premiered at the midnight section of the 2022 Cannes Film Festival. Being second film directed by Quentin Dupieux released in 2022, after Incredible But True (2022). Quentin has made some bizarre, offbeat films, getting some french hits. He has directed: Le Daim or Deerskin (United States, English title) (2010), Au poste (2018), Mandibules (2020), Yannick (2023), and its most succesful film was Rubber (2010). Rating: 4.5/10. Only advisable for fans of strange and surreal films.

Quentin Dupieux is one of the most irreverent and original directors working today.

Said like that, it seems like a virtue and very occasionally it can be, but on most occasions his unquestionable irreverence and originality only leads to total and complete absurdity.

Note that I speak from the experience of someone who has seen four feature films and even a short film by Dupieux, each one more ridiculous than the last.

In Runner there is a killer tire that travels the North American roads in search of victims. In 100% Suede, a fur coat transforms a middle-aged man into a serial killer. In Mandibules, there are a pair of friends who find a giant fly and decide to train it, for inevitably disastrous ends. Finally, in this Smoking Makes You Cough, we have a group of Power Rangers, led by a giant, womanizing rat, like the head of the ninja turtles, fighting against insects and giant turtles, while telling gore stories to each other, in a spiritual retreat, with a talking barracuda participating in the gathering.

All of this is served using some of the most important French actors and actresses today.

If the objective is to scare the viewer with such nonsense, I recognize that it is fully achieved.

But if there should be some surreal message behind such incongruity, I confess that it has escaped me, almost completely.

Never mind!