Les secrets professionnels du Dr Apfelglück

I discovered this movie in 1994 and watched it at least 20 times since then! It's written by, directed by, and starring Thierry Lhermitte (of "The Diner Game" fame)in the title-role. The four stories it contains, witch are loosely tied around the principal character, are all funny and strange, but in different ways. The first one, with Jacques Villeret, is frankly creepy. The second one, depicting the filming of a scene of an Italian film, is a good farce. The third one is totally outrageous, starring Alain Chabat as a quiz show host who can't get rid of an obnoxious contestant. And finally, the fourth, with Lhermitte's character who dies and finds out what Heaven is like, is weird but also very amusing!

All in all, a movie unlike anything I ever saw coming from France...

This is a sketches film introducing the Apfelglück doctor (Thierry Lhermitte) and four of his patients who are living each other a weird or embarrasing adventure. Among these patients, there is Jacques Villeret who's got to spend the night in a disturbing hotel. Philippe Bruneau, actor of a movie in which a cinema crew doesn't succeed in making a sequence. Then it's Alain Chabat's turn in the skin of a quizmaster who can't get rid of a crude candidate (Roland Giraud). At last, it's Thierry Lhermitte's turn!! Indeed, following a fatal malaise, he's going to heaven (where everything's fine...).

Most of sketches movies are unequal and this movie isn't an exception to the rule. If the second and the last sketches are rather correct, the third one is falling into vulgarity and easiness, whereas the story of the first one is told and made in an indigent and unlikely way. Moreover, the movie often introduces some abortive situations and a bit of a mess that hardly maintain the spectator's attention (Lhermitte who tries desperately to get rid of his wife in heaven). Now what to say about the Apfelglück doctor? Well, he's a bad doctor: he has no control over his secretary, he doesn't care about what his patients say to him. But, we learn nothing about his professionals secrets... At the end: it's an untidy and light movie. In the register: sketches film, "Paris vu par..." is clearly superior.

This movie is hilarious but of course, the comical is made at the expense of some category of people. They were righteously upset so they ranted, the critics tear the movie to shreds and the audience avoided. Thierry LHERMITTE personally presented his excuses to the World for his participation in this now sanctified masterpiece of fun. Prove them wrong, like, subscribe.