“Nude Tuesday (2022).” There’s a lot to like about Nude Tuesday. It’s really funny, weird, and sometimes understandable. But perhaps the most exciting thing about this film – directed by Armağan Ballantyne from the screenplay of Jackie van Beek, who is also a star – is that it is completely full of insults. Nude Tuesday is incredibly fun and, although the central area begins to shrink after a while, the story continues as it nears its end.
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Nude Tuesday (2022): Movie Review
Sitting on the archipelago of Zǿbftąņ, Nude Tuesday follows Laura (van Beek) and her husband Bruno (Damon Herriman), a couple who have not had a long marriage. From the beginning it is clear that there is a distance between them; Laura avoids (and is frustrated with) Bruno while trying hard to keep the spark alive somehow and all the false happiness of someone who is forced to look happy.
Simply put, they are sad, their marriage only works because it is less self-contained. At their dinner party, Bruno’s mother gives them a paid visit to the newlyweds, led by the ever-angry Bjorg (Jemaine Clement). In an attempt to salvage their marriage, Laura and Bruno drive up to the escape route, which, despite their initial skepticism, allows them to finally deal with some of their problems.
Naked Tuesday is not like most retreat movies, nor are any rom-coms on the subject. There are no lovely Dovey situations or moments that feel out of place in Laura and Bruno’s established (and intelligent) relationship. Moreover, the conclusion does not bring them back together in spite of negotiations and fulfillment in both spheres, shattering the expectations of a rapid decline aimed at solving their marital problems.
Interestingly, the film has a subtitle, but is easy to follow regardless – that is, because it is gibberish and therefore indifferent, but also because the characters speak a lot of their body language and facial expressions. Laura and Bruno’s relationship is strained and the reversal is simmering and worsening at the same time.
Bjorg’s presence only makes things worse and Clement is perfect as a sex worker. Van Beek and Herriman shine like a couple expressing emotions and being very frustrated, putting together a film as they go from one moment to the next. All told, a nude Tuesday pulls a bit in the middle, content to let zany shenanigans speak louder. But unusual and miraculous retreats can go on for a long time before they begin to be worn by spectators. For a long time, it seems that the film is a bit slow and the movement is discarded before it is taken again.
The retreat events lead to a solid conclusion, however, which includes Titular Nude Tuesday and all that it has to offer. Despite the moderate decline, Ballantyne’s film is a good time. The actor’s comedy time is good and the things they wake up to are funny and irrational.
Audiences will find themselves drawn to the unrestrained moments, the discomfort Laura and Bruno felt at first before they finally let go of their own booking, and the feelings they had kept so close to their hearts. In the end, Nude Tuesday made a catchy, intriguing film exploring fictional language, while keeping the characters’ feelings as real (and stupid) as possible.
