My father, ce héros

First time I watched this movie was on Laser Disc about 5 years ago. I liked it so much I taped it from HBO a couple of years later. The plot is a wee bit cliche, but there are many unexpectedly entertaining scenes, like when Gerard Depardieu (Andre) sang 'Thank Heavens for Little Girls', inoblivious to the fact that the audience thought he was a paedophile, and all those fights between Katherine Heigl (Nicole) and James Dalton (Ben) were just so... amusing, especially with Dalton being impossibly cute and all. Anyway, now I've finally bought the DVD and I'm re-watching it regularly.

This was recently issued in France on DVD under the title "Mon Père Ce Héros". When I bought it, I imagined it to be a film where Gérard Depardieu takes his daughter on holiday to Mauritius ( a film which I had seen and enjoyed several years ago ). What was my surprise when they ended up in the Bahamas, and the daughter wasn't the same actress as I had seen originally. On checking, I find that this is a remake of the original film. They should have issued it on DVD under the title "My Father the Heroe" to avoid confusion with the original. Just typical ! That said, the film is very enjoyable and is a perfect copy of the original film which also stars Gérard Depardieu, hence the confusion. The problem is in France they have this terrible habit of translating titles of foreign films into French ( which serves absolutely no purpose at all ) instead of respecting the original.

I have a slight preference for the original film, because of some of the characters staying at the hotel, but this film is just as good and funny, though I wonder why they bothered to make this remake - I don't see the point of it as it doesn't add anything over and above the original - it simply equals it.

One of the funniest points where GD is singing and playing "Thank Heavens for Little Girls" unaware of the fact that most of the guests listening think he is a paedophile. This is not in the original film and is a plus. Apart from that, the sets and plot are a carbon copy of the film set in Mauritius.

So, a good entertaining film - my only bone of contention is with Buena Vista France who should have issued it under its correct ( American ) title to avoid confusion with French ( Lauzier ) version which is unfortunately not at present available on DVD anywhere ! How strange !

My Father the Hero (1994)

*** (out of 4)

The recently divorced Andre (Gerard Depardieu) takes his teenage daughter Nicole (Katherine Heigl) on vacation to the Bahamas where she quickly gets a crush on a young boy and decides to try and impress him by saying her father is actually her older lover.

I still remember seeing MY FATHER THE HERO in theaters the day it opened and it really made me laugh. In fact, there were moments where I laughed extremely loud as did many others in the theater. I was shocked to see all the negative reviews that the film got but it clearly rubbed some critics and people the wrong way and especially with its subject matter.

Reading over my plot description now, it's easy to see why some might find it offensive but it's actually done in a rather clean way so one shouldn't be expecting some sort of dirty comedy. In fact, the film's actually a very funny ilttle gem about a teenage girl not knowing the trouble that her lies are starting.

What really makes this film work so well is the performance by Depardieu. The French legend is downright hilarious here and especially the way he breaks loose when he finds out what his daughter and said and what she has gotten started. I'd also say that Heigl was also very good here, years before she would become a star.

This movie is a funny comedy about a father and daughter vacationing at some tropical island,where the daughter falls for some boy and trying to pass for what she thinks is "cool",she makes up a preposterous story about her father. I read some of the negative comments,i think those people didn't get the main point of this movie,that exactly because the lie is so preposterous,all the situations are so funny. Besides the funny situations ,the movie has a few nice points to make,that young people often lie to appear "cool" but the only cool thing of course is to be who you are.Then,also it makes a nice point even though its exaggerated of course,what hardships good parents have to go through for their children's happiness.Also,that parents ,sometimes can also learn from their kids about their own life. Depardieu is great in this,and Heigl is also good.i don't agree that there is a huge difference between this version and the French one. In the French one,Depardieu has naturally some more facility with the language but he does a good job in English,also the American version has better production values than the french one and has some extra jokes about what Americans think about the French stereotype,which are funny and don't exist in the French version.

Just a funny movie!! A movie you can enjoy to laugh without anything bad. My family and I have enjoyed this movie repeatedly throughout the years!