Incredibly fun film. Really reminded me of The Man Who Knew Too Little and Forrest Gump. The idea of a likeable character getting caught up in a bizarre adventure and smiling the whole time is a concept that never seems to get old, just like the protagonist in this film.
The mix of flashbacks and voiceover worked well and kept the film ticking over at a decent pace. I did get a bit confused, wondering how all these events happened in such a short time, how they were travelling all these miles in one day. It was pointed out to me that, in the book at least, the story takes place over a few weeks. But as I type this, I still don’t think that’s how it was in the film since the crime-boss kept demanding his money “tomorrow” so who knows?
Like Allan Karlsson, I’ll just go with it. It’s not a film to be overly examined, it’s a fun look back at European history and a man who managed to overcome huge odds, blow up some stuff along the way and end up making friends with an elephant.
