Refreshing comedy replete with subtlety, punning and panache, this film evidently derives from a stage play (confirmed by a French contributor in his commentary). Witty repartee flows throughout its eighty minutes (slightly shortened here in Spain in a recent viewing on TV), allowing diverse nuances as the situational comedy builds up and becomes intermeshed in cross-purpose intentions and priorities.
Almost `borrowing' from the classical theatre of this genre, such as `Boeing, Boeing' back in the late fifties, `Le Dîner de Cons' is a refined comedy almost totally carried out in a luxury Parisian flat. Jacques Villeret is magnificent as a steadfast modeller with match-sticks - the invited idiot. His playing of the part keeps on line, such that it never veers off into the ridiculous or absurd, and the result is enchanting, charming, endearing. Well supported by Lhermitte, Huster and Prévost above all, the dialogues are at once sharp and hugely touching. Unfortunately, of course, you will lose a lot of the wit in any sub-titled or dubbed version, so do get your best French well and truly polished up.
Totally different Franco-Belgian `comedy' but with that transcendental background, is the highly recommendable film `Le Huitième Jour' (1996) (qv) directed by Jaco van Dormael. In both cases my reaction is the same: Chapeau! Merci beaucoup!
Both these films are thoroughly enjoyable.
Almost `borrowing' from the classical theatre of this genre, such as `Boeing, Boeing' back in the late fifties, `Le Dîner de Cons' is a refined comedy almost totally carried out in a luxury Parisian flat. Jacques Villeret is magnificent as a steadfast modeller with match-sticks - the invited idiot. His playing of the part keeps on line, such that it never veers off into the ridiculous or absurd, and the result is enchanting, charming, endearing. Well supported by Lhermitte, Huster and Prévost above all, the dialogues are at once sharp and hugely touching. Unfortunately, of course, you will lose a lot of the wit in any sub-titled or dubbed version, so do get your best French well and truly polished up.
Totally different Franco-Belgian `comedy' but with that transcendental background, is the highly recommendable film `Le Huitième Jour' (1996) (qv) directed by Jaco van Dormael. In both cases my reaction is the same: Chapeau! Merci beaucoup!
Both these films are thoroughly enjoyable.