Les infidèles

'The Players' is a breezy French comedy, a series of short films (by different directors) on the subject of male infidelity. The shortness of each segment keeps it fresh and lightweight; but there's an underlying theme to all these movies: that (married) men just have to seek our additional partners. The various films make them look ridiculous; but also seem to suggest that infidelity really is just something to laugh about, that it's a simple fact of life and that the aforementioned ridiculousness is its natural, and only proper, punishment. I laughed in places, but it's a movie without any real heart.

Engaging collage of the highs and lows of adultery.

They range from ribald comedy to actually locating a pretty dark place and not the dark place you would expect (I. E "JTM").

Really short ones cleanse the plate between the much longer ones. I can confidently say I've never had a cinematic experience quite like it though I dare say there are some parts I don't remember because they were forgettable.

The movie made big waves even before it hit the international cinema screens, because someone leaked the fact that a movie poster got held back because it was inappropriate and would have diminished Jean Dujardins chances of winning the Oscar (or was it just a publicity stunt?). The movie itself might be able to live off that controversy at first, but even after a few "shocking" moments at first, it'll have to stand on its own two feet (pun not intended).

Dujardin and his partner (in crime) here show a real passion for that project. They go places you might expect them to go. But even if only Dujardin is on your radar (the other actor being very famous in France too), it is a lack of emotion for both characters and the triviality of the whole thing, that might make you want to stop watching it. The overall idea was nice and I still kind of like it, but it's anything but special ...

I must be exactly the right age and marital status to like this show. I didn't think it would be very good but from the very beginning it grabbed my attention and just wouldn't let go. All characters, young and old, married and single were very bondable (is that a word). I enjoyed from beginning to end. Amazon really scored on this one. Of course, had I been a year older or younger, or a year more married or single I might not have liked it so much. So, I'll just count it as a favorite French film of mine, no matter what anyone else thinks.

Humour and vulgarity can be very close to each other. And if you are not very cautious, yuu fall into vulgarity. This is the problem with this movie. It could have been funny. It could have been enjoyable if the characters were not that extreme in their behaviour. Dujardin and Lellouche are such good actors. This is just sad.