Thursday 7 April 2011

L'Antidote

2005 Director Vincent De Brus

This film is a beautiful mixture of laugh-out-load humour and irony. Sadly not available with sub-titles, unless you speak french pretty fluently you will miss much of the subtler sides of the film.

Jam, played by Christian Clavier, is a highly successful entrepreneur on the brink of a major takeover when he starts suffering from anxiety attacks. His doctor thinks that this is to do with childhood experiences and suggests he searches back in his mind to something that could be the trigger and will prove to be the antidote. Enter AndrĂ© Morin, played by the late, great Jacques Villeret, reprising his role of the amiable "con" (idiot) who proves wiser than everyone. Morin is a small time accountant who has become a champion of the little man – the small shareholders who are taken for granted by today's business leaders more interested in power and wealth. It is a real clash of cultures and provides plenty of laughs.

Without giving anything away the story obviously owes something to Citizen Kane. There is an interesting opening title sequence, which suggests more thriller than comedy and some good special effects for the Rosebud moment. If you loved Le Diner des Cons you will enjoy this film.

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