'Microbe & Gasoline' Clip: Michel Gondry's Charming Tale Of Teen Friendship

The U.S. rollout of Microbe & Gasoline has been approaching so quietly, you'd be forgiven for not realizing Michel Gondry had a new film at all. But he does, and it's coming to our shores this weekend, and based on the footage we've seen so far it looks pretty damn adorable.

Ange Dargent and Théophile Baquet play Daniel and Théo, or as they are better known, Microbe and Gasoline. They're teenagers in a Parisian suburb who feel like total outcasts until they find each other and become fast friends. Soon enough, the boys hatch a plan to run away from home in a ramshackle car constructed out of junk to look like a tiny cottage. Audrey Tautou also stars, as Microbe's mother. If you dig Gondry's sweet, offbeat style, this looks like one worth checking out. Check out a new Microbe and Gasoline clip below. 

And if you want more where that came from, here's the full-length Microbe & Gasoline trailer released several weeks ago.

It's unclear why Microbe & Gasoline isn't getting more attention in the U.S. It's been attracting warm reviews on the festival circuit since last year. Gondry seems to have toned down some of his more fantastical flourishes, with excellent results. The Guardian has deemed Microbe & Gasoline to be Gondry's "most satisfying film since Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," while Variety calls it "an admittedly small but wonderfully sincere portrait of two adolescent outsiders determined to pave their own way in the world."

The Hollywood Reporter notes that Microbe & Gasoline seems more likely to appeal to "30-something nostalgia seekers rather than teens looking for a summer thrill ride." Which may be just as well, since many actual teens won't be able to see this film — it's been rated R in the U.S. for "some sex-related material involving young teens."Microbe & Gasoline opens this Friday, July 1 in New York and Los Angeles, and will roll out to other markets across the country in the coming weeks. Keep an eye on the official website to find out when it's coming to you.

Microbe, a shy, aspiring artist, has trouble making friends at school until he meets Gasoline, a likeminded outcast. Together they hatch a plan to build a car and spend their summer on an epic road trip across France. This charming adventure from Michel Gondry (MOOD INDIGO, BE KIND REWIND) has been called his "most satisfying movie since ETERNAL SUNSHINE OF THE SPOTLESS MIND," reminding us how friendships can help us reach our true potential. Also starring Audrey Tautou (AMELIE, DA VINCI CODE).