Universal Language

It won awards at Cannes and Toronto earlier this year and made the Top 5 International Features list of the National Board of Review. And while Universal Language is arguably the most eccentric movie of the year, it’s also one of the funniest.

It follows three random stories of ordinary people trying to find their place in the world. From two impressionable girls who are hellbent on retrieving the frozen money they discovered, to a listless tour guide who goes through the motions at work, to a disengaged government employee who quits his job to visit his mother and start anew. While they appear fragmented at first glance, each of them plays a vital role in the overall narrative thread of the film.

Canadian director Matthew Rankin (The Twentieth Century) manages to weave random subplots into a coherent story about the importance of community, family, purpose, and connection. All relatable themes, but they’re presented in unpredictably hilarious ways, making the story feel fresh and even revolutionary.

Humor is a universal language that everyone can connect around, and the film masterfully utilizes the power of comedy to deliver a compelling message of hope, tolerance, and multicultural harmony.