A private detective is hired in order to trace an elusive man of Corsican origins. It seems like a sweet little job likely to end in general kisses and hugs : he just needs to tell the man that he has inherited a princely mansion. The private detective does not know that he is being used as a means to get close to a prominent member of an armed independence movement...
This comedy provides a light-hearted look at the cultural differences between the mainland French and the Corsicans. To this end, it both uses and subverts a number of cliches, for instance about the famous "Me ? I wouldn't know anything about that" secrecy Corsicans tend to show to outsiders. It also takes a light-hearted look at the local independence movements, their mutual rivalry and their battle with authorities.
It's a decent comedy with good performances, a funny premise and a number of successful jokes. (Watch the scene where the private detective notices a small, nondescript dog and calls it a nice little mongrel. The remark is a treacherous stab in the proudly Corsican heart of the owner, who replies that this is a prize dog of rare and noble race.) Sadly the movie peters out near the end : the last half hour or so could be considerably abridged.
Still, I need to add that it is easy for me to watch the movie with a smile on my lips, since fate has accorded me the luxury of geographical distance : I'm not French, mainland or Corsican. It's entirely possible that people actually confronted with the independence struggle (from whatever angle) might have less reason to smile.
This comedy provides a light-hearted look at the cultural differences between the mainland French and the Corsicans. To this end, it both uses and subverts a number of cliches, for instance about the famous "Me ? I wouldn't know anything about that" secrecy Corsicans tend to show to outsiders. It also takes a light-hearted look at the local independence movements, their mutual rivalry and their battle with authorities.
It's a decent comedy with good performances, a funny premise and a number of successful jokes. (Watch the scene where the private detective notices a small, nondescript dog and calls it a nice little mongrel. The remark is a treacherous stab in the proudly Corsican heart of the owner, who replies that this is a prize dog of rare and noble race.) Sadly the movie peters out near the end : the last half hour or so could be considerably abridged.
Still, I need to add that it is easy for me to watch the movie with a smile on my lips, since fate has accorded me the luxury of geographical distance : I'm not French, mainland or Corsican. It's entirely possible that people actually confronted with the independence struggle (from whatever angle) might have less reason to smile.