Smoking Causes Coughing

Presented In French with English Subtitles

You know what to expect here if you’ve seen a Quentin Dupieux film. Not so much expect… Instead, you know what you’re getting. Expectations don’t mean much to the director of RUBBER, DEERSKIN, and MANDIBLES. Here the filmmaker also known as Mr. Oizo, comments on the dangers of smoking and the pressure of modern life with his trademark bonkers style.

Using the framework of a superhero team out to save the world, Dupeiux embarks on a series of vignettes to unleash his trademark insanity. After defeating a giant, evil, foaming turtle, the Tobacco Force consisting of Nicotine, Benzene, Methanol, Mercury, and Ammonia must take on the even more evil Lizardin. But first, they prepare by going on a retreat to reflect on existential quandaries such as the meaning of life and the importance of clear instructions and staying calm in difficult situations. 

As a series of vignettes tied together by the exploits of the Tobacco Force, Smoking Causes Coughing works so well it’s a wonder that Dupieux hasn’t deployed the anthology format for his distinctive brand of absurdist humor.