Thanks for the memories!

hyped garbage

Good films always raise compelling questions, whether the format is fiction or documentary fact.

Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

Alfred Hitchcock once said that if you look the details on a film, then the filmmaker has failed. This movie is not about the details. This movie is about love. And it delivers in a clumsy beautiful romantic way. This film is not blunt. It has a taste, the one we tend to miss in you daily routine. I am really impressed by the low score yet i never gave too much credit on numbers when it comes to art.

The prologue may remind you of " La Vie Est Un Long Fleuve Tranquille" (1988)and it continues as an update of "Gringalet" (1945) :like in Berthomieu's work,the coming of an adopted child in one of his biological parents'home changes their life .It's doubtful that the Philippon sisters know the latter film ;and anyway ,their treatment is different , a farce in its first part ,obviously influenced by Blake Edwards , then a melodrama ;this abrupt change in tone throws the film off balance and the epilogue is really the easy way out.The first part is the best :the curtain rod on the bus, the boastful son delivering his smug speech ,then playing Bizet's "Carmen " ,before breaking into an inane ditty ("my admirable father ,etc). Jérémie Elkaïm is excellent as the absent-minded would be catering assistant who spoils the party ("since you arrived ,says the son,everything goes wrong").François has really to force his way into the house : the electric gate ("wait ,please" says the half- brother)seems to protect the occupants from intruders.I have never thought that "les Betises"(a big hit in France) was a good song (it's actually rather silly)but in that context it makes sense and fits the movie like a glove ,much to the sisters' credit whereas so many French colleagues opt for songs in English which most of the time bear no connection with the subject.It's when she hears the song that the mother realizes how much she is needed and that a clean-living family is perhaps not enough.Then the movie disappoints ;Jérémie Elkaïm becomes listless ,bland and loses his screen presence ; the seasoned Jacques Weber's part is too underwritten and his final unexpected revelation ,a la "shame and scandal in the family" ,comes as an anti-climax.Enough is enough !This carnival in which our hero is dressed up as Zorro was already a little heavy-handed.A good first half means you make it on the percentages ,but lose out on the bonuses:that's still good value,considering the triteness of so many contemporary French screenplays.

Just saw this gem, no expectations at first, just another French comedy movie and, bang ! was blown away ! It's fresh, acting is from good to awesome, directing flawless and inspired, photography beautiful, even music is really nice ! But above all : it really, truly, is funny. From start to the very last scene. An unexpected quite pleasant surprise made in France. As for the story, and since i am obliged to follow the ten lines rule, François 30 something is adopted and decides to meet his biological mother. A birthday party, lot's of uninvited guests, a quiver full of arrows, one being the start of a new love... Give it a chance you will feel better :)