Die Anfänger

Antoine (François Cluzet), a failed writer separated from his girlfriend, Sylvie (Judith Henry) and has to share a flat occupied by a first-class lazy person, Fred (Guillaume Depardieu) who survives thanks to two-bit tricks. From then onwards, a chain of casual jobs and big woes awaits for them which will make Antoine plunge into depression. Fortunately, the friendship from Antoine is here to support him.

And it also keeps the viewer happy. Pierre Salvadori was on a roll after "Cible Emouvante" (1993). To write and film his second effort, he must have drawn into British social cinema, notably from its tendency to keep an uplifting look in gloomy social conditions. From the very beginning, Pierre Salvadori prefers to follow the road of the comedy to focus on these two unconventional people, unable to adapt themselves properly to the society and to cope with social crisis. An accumulation of preposterous situations, well chosen cues constantly maintain laughter and the end is here to give a welcome light of hope. Besides, when the two men play football with the children, it might be a symbolic sequence to reveal what they really are.

When you have more than estimable thespians like Guillaume Depardieu and François Cluzet in the affair and if they're sufficiently involved in the project and well directed, you can expect to have a really good time with them. Such is the case here, even if sometimes, the interest can wane because of a big proportion of various scenes. What remains is thoroughly gratifying to give this highly charged comedy a chance.

How often does a comedy film actually make you laugh out loud? There were several occasions when this one had me roaring. It's the story of two young men squatting in a Paris apartment and scraping a living of sorts. This is Frenchmen Behaving Badly.

Antione (Francois Cluzot) is the nervy hypochondriac with literary pretensions. His physical resemblance to Dustin Hoffman is remarkable, and he exhibits the same quirky neurotic intensity.

Fred is played by Guillaume Depardieu, son of Gerard. Whereas Antoine has bouts of self-loathing over this down-and-out existence, Fred is the genuine article. He lies and steals as easily as breathing, and he has refined laziness into an art form.

The relationship of the two men is the wellspring of much of the humour, and the pairing works splendidly. Their bitter-sweet partnership is both funny and touching. Their high point, the relief and elation after the burglary, is embodied in their early morning walk through the food market, the symbolic return of colour and prosperity to their lives. When the downturn comes, Fred proves himself to be much more than a vacant layabout, and friendship ultimately triumphs over illness and despair.

The Paris of this film isn't the 'ville lumiere' of monuments and rive-gauche cafes. This is more 19th arondissement than 9th. Rather than designers' studios, these real, gritty streets are lined with carpet shops.

A nicely-observed comedy of human manners and foibles, "Les Apprentis" has liberal helpings of warmth and charm, and its greatest blessing is, it's very funny.

A couple of dead-beats living together in a friend's flat find out that they're going to have to move out. Now they have to get hold of some money, and sort out their love-lives while they're about it.

Basically a buddy movie, but with some absolutely brilliant moments - made me laugh out loud several times. I won't describe what creates these scenes, since it could spoil it for you, but I would definitely recommend it for anyone who can speak French or read the subtitles (as I did).

9/10

This story, simply and deeply magical, about these two friends who share a poor life, breath love, friendship and learning of life.

Francois Cluzet and Guillaume Depardieu are sensational all along the movie.

Cluzet is outstanding, he clearly knows that his life goes nowhere, he fears turning nuts, he's so funny...Depardieu is more naive and naturally optimistic, he's like a lost child, always between ground and clouds....

The movie is full of both realistic and burlesque humor...you cry and laugh at the same moment...simply magical and touching.....I love the Director, Pierre Salvadori, who touch your soul in every movie he makes...

For many reasons, one of my favorite movie ever....

"Antoine" (François Cluzet) and his younger pal "Fred" (Guillaume Depardieu - anyone else think he's the double of Julian Sands?) live together in a glorified squat struggling to put a lettuce, or a tomato, on the table. The former fancies himself as a bit of a playwright but is amidst a fairly long barren spell; the latter - well he's a bit of a charming wastrel who is content to lie in bed all day as they both dream of their girlfriends, real or imaginary. Finally, they run out of what cash they did have and with eviction looming large they decide to rob the offices where "Antoine" works. That just proves to be a typically cack-handed affair for the pair, but also one that sees them rumbled by his bosses and facing a rather unique form of retribution - it's a martial arts magazine! Needless to say, this causes a bit of difficulty between these two men as depression soon hits "Antoine" in quite a potent fashion. Luckily, the boys have "Lorette" (Marie Trintignant) on hand to help steer them through this emotional maelstrom just as "Fred" succeeds in getting himself involved in a ménage-a-trois! Sure, it's all a little contrived and the scenarios do seem to go from frying pan to fire with predictable regularity, but there's a convincing and enjoyable dynamic between the two men here that the witty, quite near the bone, script does much to augment. In it's way it is quite an affecting love story depicting an inter-reliance based on a genuine fondness between two people whom you might reasonably think would do better apart. It hits the ground running and provides us with quite an entertaining observation of their lives that's well worth an hour and an half.