It all starts with a turkey. Though “starts” might not be the correct word to use for Universal Language, Matthew Rankin’s surreal, loopy film set in some bizarre alternate version of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Canadian absurdist comedy-drama is a nonlinear puzzle of a movie, one that doesn’t so much piece itself together as much as it rattles around all its pieces and throws them onto the ground. But that’s what makes Universal Language such a singular film to behold.
Back to the aforementioned turkey: Universal Language actually opens with a harried French teacher (Mani Soleymanlou) arriving at his chaotic classroom — with his tardiness, the students have all gone a bit wild, speaking Persian to each other. The teacher scolds them for not speaking in French, then blows up at one child dressed exactly like Groucho Marx, mustache and all. When the students explain that their misbehavior is owing to one of the kids having their glasses stolen by a turkey, the teacher sends them all to stand in the closet, thus kicking off the series of strange little odysseys that make up Universal Language.
