Film & Television
John Maguire on film: Offbeat flick Smoking Causes Coughing runs out of puff
Smoking Causes Coughing sees group of superheroes swap stories of their lives fighting evil but idea is half-baked and becomes a bit of a drag
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Smoking Causes Coughing, directed by Quentin Dupieux; selected, 16; rating: **
The offbeat vision of auteur Quentin Dupieux has given us a murderous car tyre (Rubber), man-sized insects (Mandibles) and a man (Oscar-winner Jean Dujardin) who goes on a murderous rampage to secure a fringed suede jacket (Deerskin). The French writer and director’s demented low-budget comedies place seemingly ordinary people in impossible situations and watches as they struggle to retain their sanity. The genius ...