Reviews (7)

"I didn't expect her to be so cunning."
Once a week, on Wednesday nights, Pierre Brochant (Thierry Lhermitte) and his circle of snobby friends host an "idiot dinner." Each participant is supposed to invite a guest--the biggest idiot he can find. The object is a sort of idiocy one-up-man-ship as the hosts spend the evening encouraging the guests to talk about themselves and their obscure hobbies (one guest, for example, has a boomerang collection). The "idiot guests", of course, have no idea why they're invited, and they are delighted to find an interested audience. These guests then unwittingly provide the entertainment for the hosts, and the hosts' collective sense of superiority is re-enforced.

On this particular Wednesday, Brochant can't find an idiot, but he's tipped off about a certain Monsieur Pignon (Jacques Villeret), a jovial mild-mannered tax official--whose obsession is replicating national monuments by building models composed of matchsticks. Pignon's crowning achievement is a replica of the Eiffel Tower (346,422 matchsticks). So Brochant invites a delighted Pignon to the dinner. Complications arise, however, when Brochant injures his back and cannot attend the dinner. With Brochant trapped and housebound, Pignon is unleashed into Brochant's life. Pignon proceeds to demonstrate his idiot potential by his kind but bumbling blunders. Mishaps involve a zealous tax inspector, a disgruntled mistress, a distraught wife, a discarded ex-lover, and a wealthy Lothario with a secret love nest.

"The Dinner Game" is a perfect French comedy. It was originally a play, and you'll get the sense of that as the action takes place. Timing and execution are perfect. Some of the film is laugh-out-loud funny, but the amusement never loses its momentum in this perfectly paced film. The cast is excellent, and part of the humour is derived from the layers to fun to be had here. Sometimes two characters giggle at the misfortune of a third, but then, before too long, the focus of the humour shifts attention and discomfort to another character. The film doesn't miss a beat. If you enjoy French comedy, don't miss "The Dinner Game" from director Francois Veber. If you enjoy this film, I also recommend another Veber film, "The Closet"--displacedhuman.

You'll laugh so hard you just might mess your pants...
...it's that funny! And yet, as mobby_uk observed, there is a poignancy underneath it all. Some are put off by the premise, a dinner that is a competition to see who can bring the most ridiculous guest. Don't be. It's an ugly idea but a deeply humane movie. Jacques Villeret's portrayal of François Pignon is side-splittingly wonderful, hilarious and touching. And writer/director Francis Verber, who also had a hand in writing La Cage aux Folles, is an international treasure.

A very funny movie
I laughed so hard while watching this movie. A man invites a stranger to dinner, who he believes to be an idiot, so he can entertain himself and laugh at the idiot. Little by little, the idiot ruins the intelliegent/rich mans life, and one is not sure who the real idiot is. This is the kind of movie that could be real bad, but the actors have perfect timing and all the jokes work.

One other comment- for those learning French. I have been buying movies made in France to improve my speaking and listening skills. This movie is excellent for learning French, the words are the ones I studied using the first 26 lessons of "French in Action". Many of the common words begenners learn are repeated in this movie and are easy to understand.

The DVD is excellent. The colors are bright and rich and everything is crystal clear. I wish more DVD's had the same quality as this one.

It's more than I expected.
First, you will laugh. Then you will laugh more. At some point, you will feel the anger of Pierre Brochant and say to yourself, "I have enough of this idiot!" The next minute, you will be stomping and slapping, and laughing again. You just don't know what will happen, or should I say what will go wrong!?

It is silly, but entertaining. Definitely a keeper!

The Funnniest movie I've seen.
I can't say enough about this movie. I laughed so much, it's truly a side slapping movie. It's the funniest movie I've seen in years. Rush out and buy it or rent it because you will laugh till you drop. ... Read more

Amazon.com

French humor, which isn't exactly subtle, is delivered via an especially broad premise in The Closet. A nebbish (Daniel Auteuil) who works at a condom manufacturer learns he's about to be fired; with the help of his neighbor, he pretends to be gay so his boss can't fire him without seeming prejudiced. Then a bigoted coworker (Gerard Depardieu) tries to worm his way into the nebbish's good graces because he's afraid of being fired. In the wrong hands, The Closet could be ham-fisted slapstick. What makes this movie truly delightful is the superb understatement with which every gag is handled; even the sight of Auteuil wearing a giant condom tip on his head has an impeccable deadpan grace. All the performances are excellent; Depardieu's smarm is particularly delicious. Each scene takes a new twist of social discomfort and befuddlement in this winning comedy. --Bret Fetzer ... Read more

Reviews (29)

M.Pignon Opens Closet: Funny French Comedy about Sexuality
You may not know the name of French director Francis Veber, and his funny French comedy "The Dinner Game" (1999), but if you are fond of comedy, you might have seen the films like "Father's Day" and "Birdcage." Yes, the last two Hollywood outings are actually remakes of his works, and though not all of his films are masterpieces, "The Closet" alone would make you remember his name. This film is that funny.

Daniel Auteuil is M. Pignon, who has been working for a condom factory as an accountant for 20 years, now he happens to learn that he is going to be fired. Shocked by the news, he thinks of jumping from the window to kill himself when an old man living in the next room gives a tip; "pretend you're gay." For political reasons (and commercial ones too) the company cannot fire him as they are afraid of being accused of having discriminating attitudes. It succeeds, and M. Pignon is happy ... for a while.

Because unexpected things happen like chain reaction; "sexual harrassment" from his beautiful female boss (she has her own reason), sexual advance from his co-worker and rugby coach (he has his own reason, too), and so on. The story goes on with twists and turns, finally leading to the confidence newly established in M. Pignon.

Though the ending is not as good as it should be, and some parts are a bit incredible, the cast is so great that those flaws are all ignored in the end. Daniel Auteuil's dead-pan humor is always effective, and funniest is his face when he is in a parade wearing a huge tip of condom on his head. Also humorous is Gerard Depardieu, whose character experiences a total transformation.

"The Closet" has some satire on our attitude about sexuality, but it doesn't preach them. Rather, the film handles them with a lighter tough, which avoids the pitfall of being too gloomy or philosophical. The fact is, the film is too light for some; and clearly the director hesitates to push some interesting points the film presents. But "The Closet" should be about M. Pignon, who, just like the protagonist of the same name in "The Dinner Game," is about Mr. Everyman. His journey to a new life is what we see, and we enjoy watching. As such the film succeeds, and it is because of fantastic Daniel Auteuil.

An intelligent and amusing French comedy
Francoix Pignon (Daniel Auteuil) is fired from his job at a condom factory after 20 years, but at the suggestion of his new neighbour, Pignon pretends to be gay in order to sue the company for prejudice. So they send doctered photos of Pignon expoing his derriere in a gay bar to his workplace. But instead of backfiring the plan works far better than anticipated: with Pignon gaining promotions at work, earning him the attention of a female co-worker (who is attracted to gay men) and helping to reconcile Pignon's relationship with his estranged son. All this leads his homophobic colleague Felix Santini (Gerard Depardieu) to befriend him in order to keep HIS job.
THE CLOSET is a low-key movie, lightweight yet amusing, intelligent and emotive as well, with great performances from Auteuil and Depardieu; especially during their "shower" conversation, which is a real classic. Well worth seeing, but not as good as writer/director Francis Veber's earlier fim THE DINNER GAME.

There's good and bad
The performances are excellent, especially Depardieu. There are some genbuine laughs, but as someone else pointed out, it is a one-joke film, and there are parts where it gets out of hand, or tedious or unbelievable. See it, but buy it cheap or rent it.

Hilarious but relevent to today's issues
Daniel Auteuil shines in this story of a man who risks losing his job but fakes his sexuality to keep his job. Gérard Dépardieu hilariously plays a man who goes mad as he falls for another man who he thinks is gay.

The setting is a condom making factory. You can only imagine.

A very funny film that reminds us why the French are progressive filmmakers! Now we know that they can make comedy, too!

Brilliant
Well constructed, funny, and a sublime social commentary. It took so little... coming out of a closet never entered that changed people's perceptions and behaviors in such strange and powerful ways. Using this to its benefit, the movie makes some strong statements in a hilarious fashion. Well worth watching! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Les Compères
Les Comprères is a must for French classrooms. Students 7th through 12th laugh hysterically at the comical duo of Depardieu and Richard!

Pleasant and funny road trip about a boy w. two dads
Fed up with his father getting on his case, Tristan Martin, age sixteen-and-a-half and a dead ringer for someone in Menudo, has run away from his home in Paris, accompanied by Shannon Doherty-lookalike Michele Raffart, to Nice. His parents, Paul and Carol, report his disappearance to the police, who don't seem to care. It's like a stolen car-the question is, when will it turn up? A visit to Michele's rough-speaking father yields nothing.

Fed up with her husband's weakness in handling the situation, Carol turns to an ex-beau from seventeen years before, Jean Lucas, a journalist whose book hinted at a connection between a prominent French senator and Rossi, the gambling kingpin of the Riviera. She tells him that Tristan is actually his son so she can get his help. He refuses because he doesn't buy her story or motives, so Carol turns to Francois Pignon, a former schoolteacher and depressive who being the romantic idealist that he is, is only so glad to be reunited with his son. "I've no job, my wife has left me, I live with my mother and hate it. I've no plans, no future, everything is scr---d up... great, isn't it?" Things get really cockeyed when Jean changes his mind, with Carol and Francois none the wiser. Jean is planning a sequel on his book, which could lead to his boss sending him a wreath.

Through circumstances, Jean and Francois are united in their perceived common quest, and we see the differences in their personalities straight off. Even before they meet Tristan or realize the connection between them, the adventurous Jean envisions Tristan as someone like himself, a little brute, strong as an ox, and a fighter, while the nurturing Francois sees Tristan as a dreamer, moody, alienated, writing poetry. Also, Jean is tough, which comes in handy when they get in trouble with the leather-clad bikers Tristan hangs out with. Francois, having just suffered a breakdown, has tendencies to cry for no apparent reason. They go to Nice in Jean's snazzy-looking BMW, at least snazzy for a while. Hint--what else does BMW stand for? And where Jean goes, trouble follows, in the form of two toughs sent by Rossi to intimidate, and later, to kill him.

One of the main things to come out of this story is that, as Francois and Jean, the latter whose fathering attitude towards Tristan comes and goes, learn, is that fatherhood must be earned. That's something that Paul, Tristan's father should have learned. His defense that he cared for him well and gave him all he wanted, well, doesn't cut the surface. There's understanding as well. And as for Tristan, he's not a bad kid, just a teenager undergoing growing pains who needed a stronger sense of understanding from his parents, and the right sort of understanding, which comes from Jean and Francois, who actually take a caring interest in him. His outing proves to develop his character.

Having seen this road trip comedy three times in one year, I can say right now it's one of my favourite French films of all time. Gerard Depardieu (Jean) is still the solid, tall, handsome box office draw that he was in France, and I feel an affinity towards curly-haired Pierre Richard (Francois), best known as "the tall blond man with one black shoe" Having seen this, I'd have wanted a father like Francois, caring, emotional, someone with feeling even if a bit too melodramatic.

An hysterical classic
Gerard Derpardieu and Pierre Richard are magic together. This film is even funnier than when they teamed up in "La chevre". There is a good reason why hollywood tried to remake this very popular film for American audiences. However, the American remake can't hold a candle to this French original.
Pierre plays the bumbling unaware despressive to comic perfection while Gerard's tough no nonsense character provides the perfect contrast resulting in a sensational comedy duo. The mismatched characters pair up to try to find a runnaway boy in hopes of finding out which of them is the rightful father. The humour lasts throughout the film and is great for adults and kids alike. This film is a classic and is known by all in France. It is a must see!

Everything in Life has Two Sides
When I first watched this film here in The Netherlands,
I thought it would just be one of those run-of-the-mill
typical overexploited tear-jerkers which you might choose
to watch if there was nothing else on television and you
have a boring long weekend ahead and nowhere to go. After
just five minutes, however, I was totally riveted.

The situation of a ex-hippy-type mom, properly married now,
whose teenage son ran away from home, may not be all that new,
but the manner which she uses to find him is comically unique.
She contacts two ex-lovers (from the hippy period of her life,
you understand), tells them, during separate lunches, that the
boy is theirs, and in this way inspires both of them to help her
locate him. As both men are childless, both suddenly begin to
entertain ideas of fatherhood, and imagine the pride they would
feel once the boy is found. Since two heads are better than one,
they decide to conduct the search together. The fact that they
are looking for the same boy creates some tension for a while,
but not enough to dispel the comedy of the situation, a kind of
modern "comedy of errors", if you will. In keeping with the mood
of the film, the boy, in the end, tells both men, again during
separate conversations, that both of them make the perfect
father. The problem is resolved for all sides - dad, mom, boy,
ex-lovers - a kind of "as you like it" scenario. "All is well
that ends well", and if there is anything we learn, it is that
there is indeed more than one way to skin a cat, and that if you
have to solve a problem, you might as well have fun on the way.

The film is light and entertaining, an approach which we might
think of applying to the business of ordinary life, which, if
viewed from another angle, might not be all that heavy after all.
It's a cry, a laugh, a sigh and a scream all in one.

Hilarious and touching, but mostly hilarious.
This is the first French film I ever saw and it is my favorite! I never get tired of watching it. The story centers around a runaway sixteen-year old boy named Tristan. His frantic mother decides to look up two old lovers (Depardieu and Richard) to help. She tells each of them that they are the father, and would you please go to Nice and look for him? The two start off separately and meet in Nice by coincidence, where they both realize they're looking for the same kid. The chemistry is brilliant between the two: the wimpy (but loveable), emotional Richard and the take charge, tough-guy Depardieu. This is a great movie for people who grew up in the eighties, like me, you'll see the French dressed in funky clothes just like we did back then! There was a recent remake of this film called "Fathers' Day" starring Billy Crystal and Robin Williams which I did not see. It got weak reviews, and no wonder. I really don't think any remake could top this great movie. Even if you don't speak French, see it! There are subtitles and you'll become a French film fan right away. Richard and Depardieu have teamed up in several films; they are wonderful French comics. You'll love the slapstick humor and hilarious situations they get into and there's fine acting all the way through. A brilliant film or, "Un film genial", as the French would say. ... Read more

Description

Funnyman Martin Short (INNERSPACE) plays an inept, klutzy bank robber who, on his first heist, grabs Nick Nolte (DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HILLS, 48 HRS.) as a hostage. Nolte plays a notorious ex-con who is trying to go sraight, so naturally, no one believes he's innocent or Short guilty, forcing the mismatched pair to become reluctant partners in crime. Add to the mix-up Short's adorable six-year-old daughter who desperately tries to keep this very odd couple together on a hilarious wheel-screeching run for the Canadian border! There's no escaping laughers with miles of slapstick humor and nonstop adventure in this box office winner! ... Read more

Reviews (5)

The movie is like a prize fight - laughter hit after hit
The Three Fugitives will bring out many emotions that you normally do not get to feel. You will laugh out loud so many times at the outrageous comedy scenes with Martin Short (wait until you see the hospital delivery scene with Short as the pregnant mother!). The girl is so cute you will love to watch the bonding with Nick Nolte. It will touch you deep inside. Emotions galore in The Three Fugitives!!!!

Great comedy movie
I must have watched this movie about 8 times, it's a very funny movie, from beginning to end, it keeps you entertained with some great laughs along the way. This is another classic movie, pick it up today if you don't already own it. :)

Very funny
I was surprised when I saw how few reviews there were for this film. It must be a real sleeper, but boy is it a good movie. Funny, a bit serious and fun to watch.

Notle delivers a solid performance but it is Short that makes the movie shine through his brilliant comedy. There were many laugh out load scenes in this movie and it is fun to watch more than once.

Notle is an ex con going straight and Short is the straight but desperate man turning to crime. The straight man/comic routine really comes across well between these two characters. If you enjoyed "Pure Luck" with Glover as the straight man, you'll also enjoy this film. I give a strong recommendation to this movie.

the best!!!!!!
its a heart-felt comedy for everybody children and adults. martin short and nick nolte are the funniest together and have great chemistry.and the little girl who plays meg is just adorable you just fall in love w\her.i highly recommend it for anybody thats into a good old comedy,and mainly if you're a big fan of martin it makes it all worth it!!!!!!!

Though the ending was not what I was hoping for, watch it!
Martin Short and Nick Nolte are fantastic in this adorable film. James Earl Jones and Alan Ruck (That guy from Speed, Twister, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off) also do great jobs. Both kids and adults will love it. I searched for this movie for three months and I finally found it. Searching was no fun, but it was worth it. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good Silly Fun
As a little girl I remember watching this film with my father (or should I say, watching him lose it over the silly antics of Gerard Depardieu and Pierre Richard). The movie itself has a fun and energetic plot, lots of silly twists and fine acting. I can't say I have watched enough French films to be an expert, but as comedies go, this one is a true gem. To those of you who are a little iffy about investing 26 dollars or so on this DVD, the hilarity involved is similar to Tom Hanks 1985 American remake "Man with one Red Shoe" of Pierre Richard's 1973 "Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe" comedy. Same kind of sillyness and rambunctious coincidences, etc. It's worth it! :-)

A riotous French comedy
Give Francis Veber a whole lot of credit. He's able to exploit the comic talents, latent or otherwise, of Gerard Depardieu as the straight man to Pierre Richard's fall guy (literally--Richard's character takes more pratfalls than one of our late presidents--the impeached kind--in a room full of old banana peels). As the Jonah to end all Jonahs, Richard teams up with Depardieu to find the daughter of French tycoon, kidnapped in Mexico. And she herself is subject to all kinds of misfortunes.

Knowing this, the tycoon's head company psychologist theorizes that it takes a Jonah to find one, so suggests to his boss that Richard go to Mexico--accompanied by Depardieu's private investigator--to find the girl.

Hilarity ensues. There are so many funny bits in here that it's hard to fault this comedy for any reason. Those of you not fond of the Marx Brothers and other zingy slapstick, steer clear. Those others who find wacko comedy refreshing and downright fun (like I do), dig in. This is right up your alley.

Richard is perfect and Depardieu is equally great as his sometime patsy. Or should I say pratsy? Zingy, dingy, and the perfect antidote to the recession blues. ... Read more

Reviews (37)

Laugh Out Loud - More than once
The Dinner Game is a movie not-based on an unfamilar premise: a group of snobby French men have a dinner to see who can invite the biggest idiot. The person who brings the biggest idiot to the dinner is deemed the winner. This concept has been done before however Thierry Lhermitte's take on this theme is done with class, spunk, and wit so much so that it will leave you enjoying every minute of this movie. This was the best *comedy* that I saw in 2000, period and is not slap-stick nor high-school comedy which has been popularized by American Pie and American Pie 2. People of all ages can appreciate this movie, even your mom or dad who are always doubting your taste in movies! :) I highly recommend you purchase or rent this movie.

A very funny movie
I laughed so hard while watching this movie. A man invites a stranger to dinner, who he believes to be an idiot, so he can entertain himself and laugh at the idiot. Little by little, the idiot ruins the intelliegent/rich mans life, and one is not sure who the real idiot is. This is the kind of movie that could be real bad, but the actors have perfect timing and all the jokes work.

One other comment- for those learning French. I have been buying movies made in France to improve my speaking and listening skills. This movie is excellent for learning French, the words are the ones I studied using the first 26 lessons of "French in Action". Many of the common words begenners learn are repeated in this movie and are easy to understand.

The DVD is excellent. The colors are bright and rich and everything is crystal clear. I wish more DVD's had the same quality as this one.

Ou Est L'Humanité?
I agree: there are some good laughs in this film, especially as it warms up after the first half hour. That said, it left me with a quibble and with a slight off taste.

First, the quibble -- unlikely to have bothered most people. The premise is that the snobs invite an idiot to dinner each week, but the film has a bit of an odd notion of where to look for idiots. Why does Pignon get picked? Because he has an obsession -- just like the boomerang man in one of the opening scenes. In Pignon's case, the obsession is making meticulous scale models of bridges, buildings, the Eiffel Tower... out of matchsticks. But weird hobbies and peculiar obsessions aren't the same as stupidity.

As it turns out, Pignon doesn't disappoint. Not only is he obsessed; he's also clueless. But that's where the off taste comes in. We don't have any sympathy for Pierre, the snob who invites Pignon to his house, but nonetheless, the movie puts the audience in the place of the would-have-been dinner guests: we get our laughs as much at Pignon's expense as from looking down on his host. There's one brief moment of humanity at the very end, but the screenplay immediately takes it back.

The reply, I suppose, is that it's a comedy, for heaven's sake! True enough; we aren't watching it to be edified. But the film would be cleverer if the audience got its own come-uppance.

Funny, really funny
Oh mon dieu! Ce film est tres drole! It didn't make me laugh the whole way through, but then again, no movie ever has. The plot concerns a group of stuck-up upper class french guys who get their kicks by trying to find the biggest idiot they can and inviting them to dinner. Once the idiots get together, the fun is watching them talk. As you can probably tell, these guys are not the nicest out there and they probably deserve their comeuppance (spelling?). Well, don't worry 'cause one of the rich guys, a publisher perfectly played by Thierry Lhermitte accidentaly throws out his back the night of an idiot dinner. (In French, un diner de con). His invited idiot decides it is his duty to stay and help Thierry since his wife seems to be absent...
What follows, not suprisingly is top-grade humor. Few actual punchlines are to be found, which is somehow even funnier. Just because you liked, say, American Pie (I did) doesn't mean you'll hate this, but I would recommend staying away from this if you've never laughed at anything but a poo-poo joke. For the record, I think the "Belgian" phone call is one of the funniest things I have ever seen along with the expression on the tax auditor's face when he finds out where his wife is.

SEE THIS MOVIE

Great Fun & Great for French Class
This film is absolutely fantastic! I would highly reccommend this movie if you enjoy intelligent comedy---and I certainly would reccommend seeing it before an American/English version comes out---a movie this good, you know they will try to remake it!!

P.S. If there are any French teachers out there, this is a great one to use for listening/comprehension exercise as well. It's rich with lots of first/second year vocab, and easily understood. And your students will be entertained as well! No moans or groans here!! ... Read more