Barnie et ses petites contrariétés

This is a really funny film. Simple, no speci&al effects but funny. The plot is classic and the acting quite good but it's the ensemble that makes it a true comedy. No need to have a french sence of humour no, it is funny for most people. Try it you'll see. Do try to listen to it in French if you can as Fabrice Luchini is quite an actor.

It is a light funny film, with great actors: Fabrice LUCHINI is GREAT, as usual, but Marie GILLAIN has finally found a mature role, a few years after her excellent interpretation of an annoying teenager in "Mon père ce héros". After watching Barnie you feel like smiling and laughing, it makes your heart light and your cheeks go pink! Laughter is in the air!

I expected the worse from "Barnie". Maybe because of Fabrice Luchini, a very french actor who always play the same part: himself. But this time he gets away from his usual "parisian-intimist" movies to bring us a real comedy. And for once, you laugh; not the cheesy way, not the Rohmerian-intellectual way but in a spontaneous way that makes you feel good and reconciliates you with french cinema (as it still remains VERY french).

Thanks to first time writer-director Bruno Chiche who just found the right balance between subtlety and fun, the film doesn't hesitate to go further than the average "marivaudage" film. And if the first part of the film in London with all its coincidences is a bit artificial, the second part in Barnie's house makes you forgive it as it solves everything in a few delightful scenes. The third part in the Orient Express is by far the weakest to me. It seems as if director Chiche absolutely wanted his movie to end as a Capra comedy, but his cynical character shouldn't have had a chance, and if so, then he should have been given a chance get from the audience a bit of compassion.

Anyway you get out of the theater very satisfied. For a first film, Bruno Chiche shows a lot of ease in every kind of scene and gives a lot of rhythm to the whole film. He is very well helped with his cast that's true (except for Marie Gillain, even if very pretty), but his camera, when not inspired is always efficient. It has to be said as it is rare enough in a french comedy.