SMOKING CAUSES COUGHING

The newest feature by the French absurdist-in-chief Quentin Dupieux is a nostalgic, light hearted and giggle-inducing nod to old school superheroes and 90s vibes. It follows a group of spandex-clad Power Rangers lookalikes, each named after an evil cigarette ingredient, and their boss, a giant drooling puppet rat and veritable Don Juan. After defeating the evil turtle, they go on a team-building nature retreat to recharge their superpowers, but their plans go terribly, and rather slowly, awry.

“Can a movie be both stupid and effete yet unironic? Only the French can pull that off, and this moronic auteur of ignoramuses does it again. Brilliant performances and dumbbell dialogue equal a superhero movie for idiots that surpasses all the tedium of Hollywood blockbusters.”
– John Waters, Best Films of 2022, Artforum

“Honestly, I’m not exactly sure what the heck Smoking Causes Coughing is actually about. Something about the environment? Public health? The despair of humanity? It’s not totally clear, but it totally doesn’t matter. The latest film from Quentin Dupieux, a darling of the festival circuit thanks to weird and wonderful films like Rubber and Wrong, is beyond entertaining and hilarious. It’s a non-stop barrage of absurdist stories and humor that will make you think – but will make you laugh even more.”
– Germain Lussier, Gizmodo