Sta' zitto... non rompere

I watched this movie accidentally (other theatres were closed during the Easter) but it turned out to be my best choice! I laughed throughout the movie. Gérard Depardieu is giving his best, and so is Jean Reno. The plot is simple, but enough to make you laugh. There are fast changing scenes but that's ok, in fact the director skips the non-funny parts this way :) Only flaw, some violence scenes that could be avoided (gunshots and wounds).

A must-see.

9/10

Great to see that Francis Veber, the natural heir to Billy Wilder, is still alive and well and turning out crowd-pleasers like this. Truffaut will be turning in his grave - I hope - to know that fifty years on from his vitriol-fuelled attack, 'a certain tendency ...' on PROFESSIONAL CRAFTSMANSHIP, filmmakers, and FRENCH filmmakers at that, have not abandoned, as he urged, strong stories, sound directing, and star performances. Here we have a Depardieu a good 30 pounds lighter than of yore and looking younger with it, playing the village idiot to a fare-thee-well against Jean Reno's strong silent type. Compared to Depardieu, who never stops talking (tais-toi translates literally to 'shut up') Reno's words are as carefully measured as tea-bags in Tel Aviv. Only see this movie if you're into verbal wit laced with sight gags and thick-ear confrontations involving a three-way split between Depardieu/Reno, the flics and a team of semi-hard men. Not quite Veber's best but still a respectable 8/10.

I have just returned from the cinema with a burst of energy!

Without doubt, this is THE funniest movie that I have ever seen in my life...be it in French or English. Francis Veber has produced a film that not only equals his earlier works, Le Placard (The Closet - 2001) and Le Diner de Cons (The Dinner Game - 1998), but surpasses them by miles. The entire cinema was rocking with laughter.

And without spoiling the comedy by disclosing some hillarious punchlines, I recommend this film to all cinema-goers, be they French- or English-speakers.

Do yourself a favour... GO AND SEE IT!

10/10.

That's another movie of great Francis Veber, the master of French comedy. After masterpieces like "La chèvre", "Le diner des cons" and "Le placard" Veber creates a new story, where two prisoners escape from jail. Veber's formula is always the same: putting together two people who have nothing in common, like a cat and a dog. From that we have many situations of misunderstandings.

The film is fun, although not among the best Francis Veber works. The first part is great and lively, in the second one the movie loses some speed and the story is less exciting.

Some moments are nevertheless memorable, for example all the prison scenes and the beginning of the friendship between Gérard Depardieu and Jean Reno. These situations are really hilarious!

Depardieu and Reno are big actors and work well together. Dialogs, once again, are the main ingredient in Francis Veber style.

Not a masterpiece, as I said, but enjoyable.

Veber is one of the rare French cineasts who manages to make people laugh the world over ( quite a feat ). He has directed and scripted many films over the years which have given hours of pleasure and laughs to millions. This is because he has found the secret of universal humour which appeals to the vast majority of people, whatever their origins. This film is in keeping with his standards. A little weak during the last half hour ( unlike "Le Placard" ) the film nevertheless maintains the spectator amused for most of its length. Many of Veber's films are about two central characters who are very opposed to each other but who nevertheless remain together. Some may criticize this idea for its lack of novelty but the hard fact it that people like it, so we can say that Veber is a cineast for the vast public and not for his own particular idiosyncrasies. In this film, Depardieu plays the "weaker" person ( in previous films it was Pierre Richard, Daniel Auteuil or Jacques Villeret ) and Depardieu played the "tougher" character ( Les COmpères, La Chèvre, Les Fugitifs and to a certain extent Le Placard, though he ends up weakened ). The "Tough" character in this film is played by Jean Reno. The plot is not as good as that of Le Placard but Depardieu's acting of the part of "Quentin from Montargis" is superb and is enough to carry the film on its own, plot failings aside. I predict that the film should have an international success but perhaps slightly less than that of Le Placard. But one does laugh loud and it would certainly be a shame to miss it !!