Indeed, that magically strange mix of implied romantic attraction between two men and mystic happenings in a jungle—with only minimal connection between the two elements—may remain his most indelible achievement...

| Mar 15, 2023

Tropical Malady used subtitles to impose a narrative on nighttime nature footage of monkeys; this pauses its main Crusoe narrative about 15 minutes in to shift attention over to inherently comical goats...

| Feb 16, 2023

There’s a truth about the relationship between affection, infatuation and obsession that Tropical Malady radiates but never makes a point of emphasizing.

| Aug 8, 2022

A film about primal urges, identity, and the sometimes terrifying nature of self discovery.

| Jun 26, 2022

It's fresh and honest. It's required gay viewing.

| Feb 1, 2022

Unlike anything else you are likely to see in the near future, Tropical Malady is a dreamy, enigmatic treat.

| Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 25, 2019

Image for image, this hour-long stretch provided the Cannes competition with its most rarefied and ravishing experience.

| Apr 11, 2018

What initially appears a vague and meandering plot line is actually our introduction into a sort of dream state where nothing is what it seems on the surface.

| May 5, 2010

Humid transcendence

| Sep 5, 2009

Camera work in the first half of 'Tropical Malady' appears jumpy and interrupted by confusing cuts and artsy tricks.

| Jul 12, 2009

Maintains a visual richness, but loses its way with heavy-going forays into mythology and mysticism.

| Mar 1, 2007

The most original film I've seen in years.

| Original Score: A | Apr 24, 2006

| Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 1, 2006

The division of the two halves is pronounced and disruptive ... but the filmmaking is assured and focused, reaching for abstraction and poetry.

| Original Score: 8/10 | Jan 2, 2006

A weird, gorgeous and disorienting act of exploration

| Dec 23, 2005

As stylistically striking as it is adventurous.

| Original Score: A- | Dec 20, 2005

A hypnotic head-scratcher that manages to be oddly fascinating and frustratingly tedious at the same time. Eventually, though, tedium wins.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 19, 2005

It goes from a love story in the making to the mystical realm of legends where men can be transformed into wild beasts and monkey guides offer sage advice.

| Original Score: 2/5 | Sep 18, 2005

It's as if two completely different movies got spliced together in the editing room, or in the projection booth.

| Original Score: 2/4 | Sep 16, 2005

The film evolves into something deeper, a story about the atavistic wildness within people.

| Sep 2, 2005