Brazzaville Teen-Ager, directed by Michael Cera
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- Michael Cera presents his short film, "Brazzaville Teen-Ager." Based on an original story by Bruce Jay Friedman.
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In a self-effacing attempt to save his father from a death by deterioration, a young man enlists his curmudgeonly boss and Kelis to perform a song, and a miracle.
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PRODUCTION
Director: Michael Cera
Written By: Bruce Jay Friedman and Michael Cera
Production Company: Jash
Production Company: Ghost Robot
Executive Producers: Daniel Kellison, Doug DeLuca, Mickey Meyer
Executive Producers: Mark De Pace, Zach Mortensen
Supervising Producer: Debbie Chesebro
Staff Producer: Christine No
Producers: Kyle Martin, Michaela Mckee, Brad Payne
Co-Producer: Laura Heberton
Associate Producer: Felipe Dieppa
Cinematographer: Joe Anderson
Editor: Jacob Craycroft
Costume Design: David Tabbert
Production Designer: Bridget Rafferty
CAST
Gunther: Michael Cera
Mr. Hartman: Jack O'Connell
Father: Charles Grodin
Kelis: Kelis
Dougie: Brandon Reily
Conrad: Curtis l' Cook
Mrs. Hartman: Charlotte Booker
Dr. Schwartz: Andy Prosky
Backup Singer #1: Christina Sajous
Backup Singer #2: Deonna Bouyue
Recording Engineer: Himansho Suri
Adler: Andrew Levine
Man in Recording Studio: Adam Levite
Dr. Schwartz's Date: Caroline Powers
MUSIC
"BRAZZAVILLE TEENAGER" Written by: Adam Schleisinger
Performed by Kelis
Produced by Adam Schlesinger & Steven M. Gold
"MOTHER LOVE" & "TENKON WHY FEEL SORRY" Written & Performed by Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou
"DANCE FOR B" & "LATE MUSIC" Written & Performed by Alden Penner
"CELLOVILLE" Written & Performed by Danny Bensi & Saunder Jurriaans
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Brazzaville Teen-Ager, directed by Michael Cera
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Brazzaville Teen-Ager, directed by Michael Cera
Michael Cera's youtube channel is definitely a hidden gem on the internet. He hasn't mentioned it previously before that I know of so it takes some personal interest to find it.
I took it that the father died in the end. His reaction made sense because he went through so much to get him back and he ended up just dying when he got home. At least that's how I saw it.
not surprised to see comments complaining about how its a "waste of time". a short film this good belongs on cbc on saturday late nights, or the short-marathons that people stay up to watch that leave you tripped out at the end of the night. on youtube everyone wants a quick cheap laugh and for everything to be spelled out for them. whatever. i know talent when i see it. you have some balls Cera, even people bent on despising you should be able to agree with that. cant wait to see more from you.
Awesome!
"Music really gets to you though... can't get rid of it. Probably be up all night with it.'
i take care of my dad....i had perma-grin the whole time, and cracked-up at the end. great job.
... And it keeps getting more across. Let it roll!
if that's where you know him from, you're doing it right!
you have given me reasons to keep watching
Heems! in the recording studio haha
That was brilliant.
I would love to work with Michael in a short film or something.
Nice to see Charles Grodin back in Bruce Jay Friedmanland. This is his, what, third Friedman film? (I count Heartbreak Kid, Lonely Guy, and this.)
beautiful. very strange and powerful film :))))
Im intrigued and will continue to watch his videos but i would appreciate a follow up explanation
Is it just me or does the video freeze here and there?
NebulaInHeat that happened with me too at a couple parts
OHhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh That makes more sense then
that cut at 2:34... very Edgar
Woah, Heems? Haha
Hospital bills in the US - you do the rest of the story.. Come on :) You can do it
Thumbs up!!
the dawg from das racist.
Why are Sarah's only 2 minutes long and Cera gets 20 minutes :(
Himanshu!
Make tons more. I have replaced TV and movies with youtube and I don't see myself going back. Too good. Love this video.
***** YOU go home fuckass
Michael Cera you coke head :P
Michael You Are Ah Really Cool
Michael Cera you're great🇨🇦
Cera risked his career to save his dads life, in hopes of him opening up to cera. When he brings his father home he is ungrateful and still what seems to be a bitter old man and just as reclusive as he was before. So in the elevator, cera is upset his efforts were in vain.
tom Hanks the part where he screams does a good job showing that too
I thought he died
It took me reading the original short story to figure it out tho
The most dramatic moment is when the boss is forced to listen to his singing. Brilliant acting
it's chockablock with empathy: you feel simultaneously embarrassed for and amused by his boss' singing.
Pure cringe
I am the worst at giving directions, but I KNOW EXACTLY WHERE THAT HIGHWAY RAMP AT 6:20 IS. It's in Greenwich, CT across the street from the park. I don't even live near there, and I totally pulled that out of nowhere, and I am so proud of myself right now. This is a defining moment in my life. Backwoods-y people from Connecticut never get to see things we recognize in films.
Going out of your comfort zone by taking someone out of their comfort zone. In order to help someone else that you're not certain you want to help. All to avoid the obsessive nagging of "what if". Oh the great complexities of life.
My somewhat alternate analysis:
The Boss and the Father are obvious parallels, but one thing I think most people missed is the Boss's WIFE CONVINCED THE BOSS to do the singing.
Charles Grodin doesn't have that wife like the boss does. The mother is obviously dead and not in the picture. She's spoken of in past tense at the very start of the film.
Brazzaville Teenager - the word teenager implies there's missing youth in Cera, as he had to grow up, probably caring for his father and taking the mother's role, but that drained him of youth.
The need for Cera to embarrass himself is at first confusing and in a way nonsense. But it actually shows an underlying problem, the lack of a mother. The act of embarrassment implies vulnerability, and the need to be mothered, and something the father is incapable of providing, shown as Grodin's arms are casted in a hug with broken hands. The Boss's wife mothered both Cera and the Boss for a brief moment, which is WHY CERA HUGGED HER. She also brought the Boss to reality and to eventually realize that he missed his youth as well and had a moment of self realization in the studio and car. Grodin doesn't have this figure in his life so Cera was in a sense "fired" from being a son and a child.
"Do you even know what I had to go through" at the very end is not just about asking the boss, but Cera's entire life without either parent.
thanks, sincerely
psynema Nice one.....
DUDE, perfect explanation! I was wondering what the boss was feeling when he heard himself in the recording studio and on the ride home, but now i know.
I think it was a good explanation, but you could be right. It is hard to imagine that there is not some underlying theme and symbolism, but do the people who make films like these always have the whole thing figured out? Or do they just hope that people will read meaning where there is none? Because obviously you can interpret characters and actions as veiled references to many different things, and the interaction of all these different elements begins to paint a certain picture.
It would also be interesting to know just how much the beliefs and mindset of the viewer is projected onto the film, because that will have a big effect on their interpretation in my opinion.
It's like Scrotie McBoogerballs. I cannot say either way because I have never made a film. At least not one that could be shown on UA-cam. Or to my mother.
Also the song that plays at the end is called “Mother’s Love”
This is so genius, that I have no idea what happened.
I had to read the original short story to figure it out.
Holly shit the shorts he is doing are fucking brilliant!
This is dog shit are you kidding me
Micheal Cera is a peculiar genius. Enough said. This was historically haunting in the greatest way possible. We've all dreamt it.
This story is so unforgiving, and futile. I love the way he plays with sound, and how you start to hear the next scene. It is almost like a dream you are waking up from and you can hear what is happening around you. Well done.
I really like what Michael Cera is getting into at this stage in his career.
Someone get that guy a record deal.
Between this and "Gregory Go Boom." Michael Cera is shaping up as a good director. Would love to see a feature from him.
What happened to his career?
This to me is a film about exploring the bargaining stage of grief. It's a bargaining fantasy. Gunther comes to some intuitive understanding that if he makes some self-sacrifice, that he will be rewarded with the continued existence of his aloof father, played in a nice, understated way by Charles Grodin. The idea of bargaining a self sacrifice as a stage of grief is all too common--the deal with God. "I'll be a better person and more like you want me to be if I get to keep my pop." But the bargain is usually a noble self sacrifice. Here Gunther imagines that his self sacrifice must be ignoble. It must be debasing and humiliating. It has to involve the breaking of unwritten rules of social living. It involves crossing a generational barrier--the one separating him from his father. It involves not only his own humiliation and discomfort, but also a humiliating request that a member of that older generation must cross that same generational barrier and enter into a scenario that is as much a fish-out-of-water scene as the one he must endure just to make the request. So the film opens with scenes of the hospital where Gunther's dad is dying, but the sound track is of a conversation Gunther is having with someone of his own generation. Gunther is open and honest about his feelings. He is scared of being alone. He wants answers from his dad before his dad moves on. And hidden in these questions is his own fear of inadequacy. He seeks to define himself and measure himself against his pop. He wants to know philosophy. He wants to know about his father's sexuality and finances--the stuff that is often off limits in cross-generational relationships. He wants to know about his father's fear. "Are you scared?" "Is Death a breeze?" As the film switches to Gunther and his dad in the room together, his questions are answered with less than overt comparisons between his son and the doctors that are treating him. He tells his son that they are good guys that don't think twice about treating a guy so much older. Gunther is told that they laugh, that they get the humor. Gunther does not. He also wants his dad to "drop his life-long cool." Gunther feels small and weak, and this is compounded by the threat of losing his dad. The bargaining fantasy comes to him. He must get over his crippling fear of crossing that generational barrier. He sees his boss humiliate a guy so badly that the co-worker seems physically ill. When Gunther is called into the office, he asks the boss to come with him to where a R&B recording session is going to be happening and sing back-up on some song. He is soundly rejected. The viewer is made to believe that this was not enough. He has to debase and humiliate himself even further. He has to go to the man's house. He has to interrupt his sophisticated, grownup party and insist. When the boss's wife comes to his aid and makes this happen, Gunther weeps. Gunther takes this man to a setting that is as uncomfortable for him as the party was for Gunther. And after it is over, the boss is humiliated and shown that in this world where he is the outsider and the underdog, he is inadequate. He is not good enough. The once dominant boss looks small and weak. On the ride back, they seem to have connected. Miraculously, Gunther's dad is healed. And when they are reunited, the audience expects that things will be different. They are not. With a lilting musical backing track, we see scenes of awkwardness between father and son. Their body language clearly suggests that they are as estranged as ever. Gunther screams his rage at his dad--his impotent rage at the top of his lungs by himself at the bottom of an elevator shaft, still unable to make a connection to his dad. It is as if it is not about the fact that he is unafraid to put himself out there. It is just that his dad is a dick. It is dreamlike and nonsensical and yet really resonant. I love this film. Although a couple of the bit parts--the friend at the bar and the guests at the grownup party seem to deliver their lines in ways that are not quite right, the rest of the film really works. The sound is especially effective as is the pacing. The lingering shots of catatonic thinking really work. The silent resolution is also very nice.
nicely said dude, really helpful
This is the first of your shorts I've seen and I can't begin to describe the emotions this has brought forth. Beautifully shot, fantastic cinematography and editing. Can't wait to watch more.
We proudly present to you Michael Cera's first Jash release. Enjoy!
I don't even know what to say. This is going to haunt me for a while. Thank you!
He stops the elevator so he can vent his frustrations. The bang-click is the sound of the elevator coming to a stop. The elevator music is recurring throughout the video, and it's only until the end that we realise the story is retrospective. It's as if he recalls the days past events in the elevator after dropping his father home, and the elevator sound track bleeds through into the narrative retelling.
"Can we just leave the logic part aside" haha That whole scene was so hilarious
I think because he was fatherless rather than having grown up with that kind of relationship, he thought vulnerability (embarrassment) sort of worked in the way that sons feel the need to prove themselves to their fathers- obviously in this case the opposite way round?
reminiscent of David Lynch at times
+Plasmar Even his boss looks similar to Lynch!
the first shot of the boss from far away, i thought it was David Lynch too
Why is Michael Cera so underrated? It makes me kind if sad. He deserves so much more recognition. I think he's an amazing actor.
i predict michael cera will be in movies one day
He's a professional actor and has been in several famous movies. Look him up on wikipedia or something.
No. really?
Shane Urbini I'm not sure whether or not you're being sarcastic, but yes. He's a leading role in Juno, Superbad, and Zombieland.
Drixen Michael Cera is not in Zombieland... That's Jesse Eisenberg
My bad
Maybe it means that laughter is the best medicine. Since he got his boss to do the backup singing, then his father heard it and laughed at how silly the boss sounded. Which got him back on his feet.
I believe his father died at the end and Michael's character is inraged because of all he did to keep him alive for him to some what just kneel over and kick the bucket...,but this is just a(n) opinion ofcourse.PHALLUS APPROVES!!!!
I think it was the fact that he went through all that to save his dad and in the end his dad was still a jerk to him.
This is fantastic. Seriously.
I think about this a lot....
i would like to hear him sing the whole song
It just represents him being willing to do anything to save his dad... making his boss sing on a kelis song was probably the most humiliating thing he could think of
I do hope that an aggressive merchandise tie-in campaign is in the offing. I have a rather large minivan and ample contacts with persons that could be instrumental in finding me vacant parking lot space, to set up attractive retail displays. I see posters, CD sales, and a large selection of "fake" leaked photos of the cast members, as well as the crafts people, that could be transferred to high quality t-shirts. I am currently located at Molly's Gas and Goodies, trying to dispose of the last of my World Football League beach towels. Come on by anytime and ask for Burl. TANKS!
Very Lynchian.
Brilliant. David Lynch meets Fellini. Grodin is brilliant, script and direction equally so - five stars.
This is actually one of the funniest things I've seen in a while.. I completely understand the idea lmao we need more this.
can you explain what the deal was with why he wanted his boss singing on the song?
How old is Michael Ceramic
Lex ClemityClemClemmersons THIS MADE MY NIGHT
still how old
This is my favorite video on youtube
God that was so close to having good meaning. I definitely want more from cera in the future though
Reminds me a lot of Louie
I think the focus of satire in this story is basically revealed in the first five minutes. Michael Cera's character thought he and his father would make a connection through his serious illness, which rarely happens in real life but is often a focus of heartwarming movies. Other things being satirized: illness ("His knuckles are not good.") Music ("It gets in you. I'm going to be up with it all night.") You might be overthinking it.
I think the whole getting his boss to sing was a metaphor for something else that he had to do or go through in order for he and his father to be in the position they were in the end. Not sure what exactly, but just a thought.
I think you were dead on, up to succeeding with his boss. In the end he has the same attitude with Mike C that he started with. He only did the song to get his libido back, but hearing himself isolated on the track (in flat falsetto) is not likely to help. I think the point is that getting a man like this to open up will only embrace him before goes back to being miserable and cold. These "strong men" can't accept help from anyone, no matter how much they need it.
My interpretation. His father is a prideful and independent man who is very reluctant to show affection because of fear of revealing weakness. The son longs for his father's love. He gets his boss, an intimidating man who commands a lot of respect (like his father), to sing a falsetto song to reveal all men have weaknesses, but hiding them doesn't make a man stronger. The trip home from the hospital reveals that his father has not changed. The elevator screaming if Cera's frustration coming out.
he dosent care, thats the point. Gunther believes that if he can humiliate himself by taking the risk of asking such a ridiculous favor of his boss, his sort of sacraficial embarrassment should sway karma into saving his father, and simultaneously if he can make such an unlikely thing occur, it ups the odds that his father will live. but the trouble he goes threw is entirely unappreciated, as his father continues to take him for granted and their relationship remains strained.
A father that lives to humiliate his son? So the only way to keep him alive is to suffer the ultimate humiliation?
Or maybe he's saying we humiliate ourselves for the ones that we love? I think Gunther and Mr. Hartman discovered something good/interesting about themselves after humiliating themselves for the sake of their father/wife. "If I can do [this]... there's no limit to what I can do." Very peculiar story....
Either Gunther was pissed off that his dad began acting like an asshole to him as soon as he was released from the hospital, that his father went right back to being sedentary and chose to be non-interactive with him or that he died shortly after returning home.. Does those sound like the most likely situations for the ending of this short film?
His father isn't any closer to him the way he wanted. He's very frustrated after everything he did for his father, and so on the elevator ride down from his father's apartment, he stops the elevator and screams the things he wishes he could scream at his father.
It's a story about humiliation for the ones you love. A father lives to humiliate his son. Gunther realizes this, which is where the logic of this movie comes from.
Mr. Hartman loves his wife, and only because of this does he agree to do something humiliating himself.
Very peculiar story.
I think the video was about him debasing himself, because for some reason he thought if he did it would save his father's life. So he screamed because he was mad at his dad for being a jerk after he did all that just to save his dad's life.
That might officially make him the coolest man to walk earth. Notorious for being an awkward, dorky actor. But behind the scenes, he crafts the creepiest, scariest shit ever. The best part is I bet he would be great at it.
who says he needs that? there is a dark surrealism here that i found to be pretty funny. the resemblance of the boss to david lynch was interesting, because there were moments in this film that felt almost lynchian.
It's poking fun at those abhorrent kids movies where the kids have to do something ludicrous to make enough money and save the day. It ends up being fairly serious with a little bit of solid parody. Great job.
Dysfunctional minds hold the most creativity. I truly love Cera's mind.
He did all that stuff and then his dad was still a cold bitch to him. He wanted to connect.
Also it was actually funny and sad and Cera can really act. Such emotion at 14:10. Truly Amazing
i honestly just wanted to hear the song. has anyone found the complete song? please don't tell me they just recorded that little part
Hes pissed because he leaped through hoops to save his dad, and his dad went back to his old asshole self and didn't appreciate all the work he did.
Michael Cera, thank you for using the queen of Ethiopian classical music Emahoye Tsegue-Maryam Guebrou's work on your movie. It complements the message.
So if he finds a way to humble someone with much pride his dad gets better? Kind of otherworldy and confusing but certainly interesting.
makes total sense.. you have to be willing to go through crazy shit and sacrifice to help someone else out and save them.
The sarcastic goodbye wave at the end was some of the best thespianism I have laid eyes on
My Nigga Heems...
exactly what i thought
I love Michael Cera... he makes me want to roll around in Cera sauce.
We do silly things for those that we care about the most, I'd like to think that this is the message here.
Also, anyone tried watching this short with the Captions on? That's a whole other challenge altogether...
A prideful man had to be stripped bare for a lazy man to stand. The boss was the protagonist
omg....his face!!!
i lost all of my ass laughing when that guy listened to his playback
i love these films. they remind me of those rare, strange short stories you come across and you have no idea what the fuck is going on but you can't stop reading. and gradually you become so immersed in the world that the author has created that the ending just feels like the natural conclusion and leaves you satisfied.
Wow, I have to say Michael Cera has a future as a director. I like his visual eye.
Then you are going to LOVE Mondays on Jash.
That was awesome. Slowburn hilarious. Really compelling and weird. My favorite one.
Considering I watched most episodes of Rolie Polie Olie when I was 6, his voice sounded way deeper as Gizmo! I can’t tell if he has reverse puberty in his voice or he had amazing voice control from then! Anybody else recognize that?
What a jewel!! Everything is beautiful and suddle about this film. Magnificent job by Michael Cera and everyone else. I am a big fan of Charles Grodin. Since I first saw M Cera act in arrested development he became one of my favorite actors, one of the reasons is he remind him of the elegantly masterfull comedic dead pan acting of Charles Grodin. See them working together is fantastic. Hope to see more great work by M Cera and Charles Grodin.
I am instantly obsessed by the end credits piano music, which I take to be Late Music by Alden Penner, but I can't find it anywhere. HELP!
I thought this was going to be about the publisher having stolen the rights to the lady's song. Debasing himself was showing he was complicit in this theft. Then they get the guy to sing and show him he's made money from writing credits where he doesn't possibly have the ability. This ending didn't really make sense either.
"You Were Flat Baby" lolol
when i first saw this years ago i thought it was terrible...how ever after watchinght...i can now see the genius comedy in it
I don't understand why everyone is writing an analysis of this. Are the doing this for a course or something? To sound smart? To Get a job in the movie business ?
I think its about all the crazy stuff that goes through your head when you are desperate for answers or for a problem to be corrected. Just my opinion.
Great Work Michael Cera and Everybody who Work, Help on this Short Film.