Weird and wonderful, this Gallic animation strikes a rare balance between innocent charm and wry observation. It is playful and sweetly humourous, yet has a sinister edge, and blurs the distinction between adult- and child-oriented entertainment. The bottom-up perspective that the viewer is afforded (with little dialogue, and an absence of explanatory narrative) determines that, no-matter your age, you will perceive the film as an enraptured child might: feeling your way through a semi-coherent world. This impression is strengthened by the comically exaggerated features and motions that characterise the sumptuous artistry of the animation. Chomet combines a classic look and feel with modern techniques to establish an original style, rich in detail. He succeeds in crafting a touching tale and lovable characters without resorting to the industry-standard templates. Watch out for references to the Fleischer Studios (especially the jazz-flavoured Betty Boop), and to the house of mouse - you won't find anything as joyfully eccentric as this emerging from the latter.