Les bronzés

This movie is a myth, a classic for the French young generation. If you meet a French girl or guy and try to make contact with him or her, you can be sure that a little quote from "Les Bronzés" will start a passionate conversation.

Nevertheless, you must have a very good knowledge of the French language because of all the jokes and puns; if it's not the case this movie may appear as a very "unfunny" comedy.

You must know that there's a sequel, "les Bronzés font du ski", which has had a great audience success (it's on French TV once a semester and I am not kidding) but which appears to be less funny (less puns). However, it seems to be even more mythical that the first opus.

This movie is one of the most important comedy in France. Almost everybody in France know one or several sentences of it. If you want to make some joke with a French guy, you could try to learn some of the principal sentences of the movie and you could be sure that he will laugh. The movie is adapted from the stage, and the play was very succesful for many months. So, every shot have been studied to be hilarious. There are not at all any breaks. Of course, if you could understand French, I will advise you to see the French Version because the jokes could be not as good in English. In conclusion, I would also advise you to see the second movie from the same team: "Les Bronzes Font du Ski" which is at least as excellent as the first.

A comedy centered on one week's group of tourists and the staff at a French holiday resort in Africa. Includes plenty of hijinks and sleeping around, but basically fluff.

Very little is seen of the Africans, props in the movie as in the holiday camp.

Les Bronzés is a cult french comedy, widely appreciated in France. It stars most of today's finest french comedians: Thierry Lhermitte, Gérard Jugneau, Michel Blanc, Josiane Balasko and Christian Clavier. I've just finished watching it for the first time, and it was as enjoyable as I expected to be. It's the sort of hilarious french comedy based mainly on sexually explicit dialogue and sex related jokes. The film is about young french singles and couples on a charter holiday in western Africa trying their best to be polygams, while getting some sun at the same time. Those who enjoy french comedies must see Les Bronzés!!

Most of the reviews have already explained much of the plot, story, etc... so I'll take this in another direction: what its really all about.

While "Les Bronzés" is a comedy, much of it is based on real-life situations that actually happen and what goes on in these vacation villages. I know because not only did I grow up in France and understand their psyche, but I worked for the company parodied for a while.

From the attitude of the GOs, to the naiveté of the GMs, the goofy activities in the village to the sleeping arrangements - the nightly banquets to the evening shows - pretty much everything is portrayed spot on. And *that's* what makes the movie really funny. This movie is a classic in France.

Some of the humor will be lost in translation, however, the subtitles are pretty close to conveying the jist of humor when they cannot be accurately translated. It's a must see for any francophile looking for a good laugh. And if you liked this one, Thierry Lhermite is also in "Le Diner des Cons", which was just remade in Hollyweird as "The Dinner Game".