Although the Boukherma brothers' film "Teddy" looks like one more title in the filmography on lycanthropy, crossed with a coming-of-age tale, it is a dense story that, in the end, omits the humorous notes that have previously marked it. It is not even explicit when the creature appears on the scene, although it is as bloody as Brian De Palma's «Carrie», the drama that it reminded me the most, with the difference that Carrie White's telekinesis is a gift of her own, while Teddy Pruvost's lycanthropy is a curse caused by a wolf that exterminates people and animals.
«Teddy» begins questioning the construct called "la France", then gives the concept of family a left, plays with youth's primaeval sex and dreams, and inserts small slaps, here and there, to civil defense, superstition and "New Age", to finally end with a right hand that sends the provincial middle class to the canvas. It is not an easy mix, which, with a werewolf attached, ignores the chance to terrify the audience (except for a couple of Cronenberg-esque moments of physical terror) or to use gimmicks a la «Carrie», like its fearful coda with a girl kneeling by Carrie's grave. When the tale of «Teddy» is over, the game ends dramatically, without oneirism or jump scares.
Selected for the official competition at the Cannes film festival in 2020, with Spike Lee as the president of the jury, possibly «Teddy» would have won one or two awards: for example, the cast, made up mostly of natural actors, is magnificent. However, the pandemic eliminated those possibilities and, in a way, stigmatized it as an untimely work in the atmosphere of desolation we all experienced in 2020-21.
For those who shy away from horror movies, try not to overlook this one, and for fans of the genre, enjoy it, but be warned that you will see something different from the crossbreeding of men and wolves that the film industries usually produce.
«Teddy» begins questioning the construct called "la France", then gives the concept of family a left, plays with youth's primaeval sex and dreams, and inserts small slaps, here and there, to civil defense, superstition and "New Age", to finally end with a right hand that sends the provincial middle class to the canvas. It is not an easy mix, which, with a werewolf attached, ignores the chance to terrify the audience (except for a couple of Cronenberg-esque moments of physical terror) or to use gimmicks a la «Carrie», like its fearful coda with a girl kneeling by Carrie's grave. When the tale of «Teddy» is over, the game ends dramatically, without oneirism or jump scares.
Selected for the official competition at the Cannes film festival in 2020, with Spike Lee as the president of the jury, possibly «Teddy» would have won one or two awards: for example, the cast, made up mostly of natural actors, is magnificent. However, the pandemic eliminated those possibilities and, in a way, stigmatized it as an untimely work in the atmosphere of desolation we all experienced in 2020-21.
For those who shy away from horror movies, try not to overlook this one, and for fans of the genre, enjoy it, but be warned that you will see something different from the crossbreeding of men and wolves that the film industries usually produce.