French director Laurent Firode presents this filmic oddity, which explores the idea--and the effects--of chaos theory over the course of one day in Paris. The concept, as treated in the film, is best explained by an aging drifter who walks through a Parisian park saying that sometimes the... [More]

French director Laurent Firode presents this filmic oddity, which explores the idea--and the effects--of chaos theory over the course of one day in Paris. The concept, as treated in the film, is best explained by an aging drifter who walks through a Parisian park saying that sometimes the most random, stupid act can alter the course of the world. He goes on to say that something as minor as the batting of a butterfly's wings over the Atlantic can cause a hurricane over the Pacific. (This is an explanation of the French title, which translates to "The Batting of the Wings of a Butterfly.") In short, all things are intrinsically connected. And in this film, the tiniest action performed by one character triggers a series of events that eventually impact another character. There is a broad cross-section of over 20 extremely quirky characters in the film, all of whom are deeply superstitious and believe strongly in fate, which enhances the comedy, surprise, and strangeness of each new scenario. Granny gives Luc some fresh-baked macaroons, and tells him not to tell his mother. He tells his mother, who steals the tin, tastes a cookie, and throws it out the window. A pigeon eats it, then flies across the city and poops directly onto a photograph taken by some Russian tourists, who go into a photo shop, asking the salesgirl to fix it. When the girl in the shop tries to clean off the photo, she realizes that the man in the picture is her long-lost love, who she has not seen in ten years. HAPPENSTANCE drifts, careens, floats, and sometimes zooms around the city of Paris, sneaking in and out of the daily lives of its subjects, uncovering with each passing moment a new and entirely bizarre example of destiny. [Less]