Oeil de lynx, détective: A chaotic trip back to French comedy

Is it worth a watch?

Honestly, you probably only care about Oeil de lynx, détective if you’re deep into the history of French comedy or you have a weird itch for 1930s slapstick. If you’re looking for a tight mystery, keep walking. You’ll be bored, and you’ll hate how often everyone yells at each other.

But if you like watching people trip over their own feet while trying to act tough? You might dig this. It’s got a specific kind of low-stakes energy that feels like a dusty attic discovery.

The vibe

Armand Bernard is doing a lot of work here with just his eyebrows. Most of the movie feels like the camera just happened to be running while people were figuring out where to stand. The blocking is often so cramped that it feels like the walls are closing in on the actors.

There’s a scene about halfway through where a conversation drags on for what feels like an eternity. The audio crackles just enough to make you wonder if you’re missing a key plot point, but then you realize—it doesn't actually matter. Nobody knows what's going on anyway! 🤷‍♂️

Odd little notes

• The pacing is erratic. One minute we’re sprinting through a hallway, the next we’re stuck in a room watching someone read a letter for forty seconds.
• I kept thinking about Le Million while watching this. It has that same frantic, "everyone is running in circles" energy, though it’s definitely not as sharp.
• The hats. Everyone in this movie is wearing a hat that looks like it’s about to fall off. It’s a very distracting choice.

It’s not as polished as something like Broken Lullaby, and it’s certainly not trying to be. It’s just trying to get through the scene before the film stock runs out. There’s something kind of honest about that messiness.

Also, does anyone actually solve the mystery? I’m still not entirely sure. The ending feels like they just stopped filming because they ran out of lunch money. If you’re the type who needs a satisfying resolution, stay away. If you like a movie that just sort of... evaporates, have at it.