Showing @ Filmhouse, Edinburgh, Tue 22 Nov @ 8:15pm

Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon & Bruno Romy / France/Belgium / 2011 / 93 mins

Following up from their quirky look into relationships in Rumba, Dominique Abel, Fiona Gordon and Bruno Romy return to direct this equally eccentric farce – with mixed results. Working as a nightshift receptionist in a small French hotel, Dom (Abel) is surprised when Fiona (Gordon) enters and proclaims she is a fairy and will grant him three wishes. A slapstick spiral of gags and dances soon follow as the pair fall in love while in constant scuffs with the law, the residents and a feisty wee dog.

It’s a shame with this film as the absurd moments are well worked and the relationships heartfelt, but the medium is all confused. What they’ve done is create a play for the cinema. Characters who appear from and disappear into the wings, surreal dance pieces that belong as part of the mise-en-scène on stage and recurrent set pieces which mirror scene changes all follow a rigid theatrical farce narrative, but are confusing in a film which doesn’t seem to really know itself. This is all understandable and forgivable given the trio’s history in theatre, yet it throws in scenes that would suit a Mighty Boosh sketch, trying to compensate for its bizarre composition. So while the surreal interludes are entertaining – and the slapstick well polished – it’s just too scatty to really flourish.