La truffa degli onesti

A very funny comedy about the owner of a family business (Vincent Lindon) who has to use less-than-standard methods to save his company after a string of disasters. It has a perfect, well-balanced cast from the main leads to the supporting roles (an incredible François Berléand as a crooked, cowardly insurance broker), and a clever plot with many unexpected twists and turns, until the very end. What I preferred was the way it was set not in the usual unrealistic world of comedy but in true life, with credible characters and dialogues, and still be hilarious. It could also work as a very nice introduction to contemporary France to foreign viewers, quite different from the usual fare of French sex dramas or stiff period movies and more like some of the recent English "social comedies" (The Full Monty, My Name is Joe, or The Snapper, for instance).

Like its predecessor "Fred" (1997), "ma Petite Entreprise" is in the same league: the world of workers in popular neighborhoods and the tricks the characters elaborate to get out of their distress. Pierre Jolivet finds again the same actor and one of his favorites Vincent Lindon for a role quite familiar to the one he held in the 1997 movie. Like "Fred", Ivan has to manage himself to get out of a thorny situation. The main difference lies in the fact that in "Fred", he was practically all alone but here, he receives a little help from his friends. Lindon acts the work alcoholic boss of a joinery and lives on a wild pace which made him estranged from his wife. But one day his world collapses for the workshop is burnt down. To avoid the definitive closure, he'll have to break the law.

When the film reached the streets, the catchphrase was: "in life, trouble make people closer". It was a well-appropriated one to grab the interest and to disregard any Cartesian logic in the relationships between the characters who one by one rally to Ivan. However, some of them were about to take advantage of the knotty stance Ivan was in. At first Sami (Roschdy Zem), the one who lives with Ivan's former wife, then Maxime (François Berléand) and at last Charles (Albert Dray). Jolivet found a supple dosage between the gritty depiction of the popular neighborhood, the dramatic situation which can worsen if Ivan can't quickly solve it and the droll solutions adopted with a dash of suspense (the break-in in the insurance center) and some unexpected turns in the story. The formula paid off well for "ma Petite Entreprise" drew many more viewers in the theaters than "Fred".

Jolivet's work garnered several nominations at the César ceremony in 2000, notably in the Secondary Roles category and François Berléand was justifiably the winner. Here, Jolivet has no cause to be jealous of his English filmmakers peers in the domain of social cinema.

Slow at first then the plot livens up. The cast is excellent. Very funny. Beautifully directed. No apparent special effects to distract you from the plot. The underlying message is clear and plausible. It even makes you wonder... I enjoyed every character, all location sets and the music from Alain Bashung.

Well, I've just seen this film and I was a bit disappointed. As usual, Vincent Lindon acts very well and seems to match exactly his character in the film. But this is not enough to reedeem the lacks that "ma petite entreprise" is suffering. Indeed, the director didn't take advantage of the possibilities the scenario had to offer. He could have made an entertaining comedy and he instead gave us a boring film where all is filmed very calmly, too calmly....

I am English but am living temporarily in Paris. I've just sat down to watch the DVD (original version with English subtitles). Although the film is a bit slow it does hold your attention long enough to enjoy it. It's a frustrating escapade sprinkled lightly with a few hilarious moments. I couldn't stop laughing when Maxime said he was disappointed in Lucie because she agreed to help with the fraud. It was worth watching for that scene alone.