Matthew Rankin’s “Universal Language” is likely the first story to take place in its setting: an alternate Winnipeg, Canada, where the Persian language is dominant, wild turkeys freely roam the streets and everyone is sad that a Kleenex repository in town is needed for citizens to wipe their tears.
The main story follows three distinct plots introduced individually at the beginning of the film, which later converge into one narrative. These include two girls who try to free currency from ice, a tour guide who leads disappointed sightseers around the desolate city and a man travelling to reach his sick mother after recently quitting his Montreal job.
The film’s surrealism is not a new style for Rankin, whose 2019 directorial debut, “The Twentieth Century,” received positive reviews from critics as a surrealist black comedy. Even though “Universal Language” fits into a similar genre, its unconventional setting and plot makes it a distinctive story.
Though it is certainly unique, the degree to which viewers find this movie entertaining may depend on the breadth of their experience with the cinematic arts; many of the quirky features in the story are tributes to Iranian film or allusions to other niche areas of cinema. References to Winnipeg will also likely not resonate with viewers who don’t know much about the city. For casual moviegoers or those unfamiliar with these specialties, much of the charm that the creators intended is lost.
The picture can feel uninteresting or confusing to those who do not have this prior knowledge. This is especially true during the earlier parts of the film, where the separate plotlines are each slowly developing, and the direction of the story is nebulous. Without knowing the more specialized references, it is easy to feel lost during the introduction.
That being said, “Universal Language” never aimed to amuse the masses — it had a limited release in the United States for a reason. Many critics in Canada, who likely had a stronger connection to Winnipeg, seemed to enjoy it. The movie won awards from the Toronto Film Critics Association, the Toronto International Film Festival and received a nomination from the Director’s Guild of Canada.
It’s not as if there is nothing to appreciate about the movie even if one is not familiar with Iranian cinema or Winnipeg. The film has a funny, macabre sense of humor, evident in lines about people flattened by steamrollers or choking to death on marshmallows. The movie’s originality can also be appreciated by a variety of audiences.
Following the three separate storylines as they weave together is entertaining, and, once past the exposition, the main plot becomes more engrossing, though still cryptic. The movie’s obscure nature has the viewer investigate the meaning of its bizarre elements. If one likes films that ask them to analyze what they are seeing, then this film will certainly satiate that desire.
“Universal Language” is a movie that caters to a very particular audience. In my opinion, it is not worth seeing if one is not experienced with Iranian film or Winnipeg, though it can provide some entertainment to those looking for something they’ve never seen before.
Max Della Fera can be reached at [email protected].
