6. Kill Me Please (2010)
A Belgian farce set within the grounds of an euthanasia clinic, Kill Me Please performs a fine tightrope act between tragedy and comedy before throwing itself head-first into the latter. Despite it seeming like a bad business model, Dr Krueger (Aurélien Recoing) isn't always forthcoming with his little cup of cyanide. Instead, he tries to talk his patients out of it. Failing that, he prides himself on being able to fulfil their last wishes - providing they've got the cash, of course. But, during a particularly hectic run, not every patient can have the death that they'd like...and so they start to take matters into their own hands. Although 'quirky' may be a slight exaggeration, our guests are not necessarily the forlorn no-hopers you'd expect. Among our clients looking for a quick exit are Virgile, who, at the age of seven, claimed to have "the youngest suicide attempt in France's history", Sylvie, a transgendered singer and Mr. Breiman,whose family believes that he is in fact on holiday. Each is more alive than their disposition may let on.
Darkest Comedy Moment: As you may have guessed, the whole film is pretty bleak; with each scene given extra gravitas by its stark, black and white, almost documentary aesthetic. But there's also a steady flow of ironic gags to keep us entertained. For example, the guests often argue about who should die first (suffice it to say it doesn't quite work that way). But perhaps the darkest joke comes when, after witnessing a man burn to death, one of the patients turns to Krueger and says, his voice full of hope: ''I didn't know you could die from burns. Well, I'd like to if I could sign up for that...''
