Adieu les cons

In a million years I never would've come up with the plot of Albert Dupontel's César-winning "Adieu les cons" ("Bye Bye Morons" in English). The plot combines focuses on underage pregnancy, stressful work, and political activism. It does so without turning silly or preachy.

The viewer may have noticed that the movie is dedicated to Terry Jones and features a brief appearance of Terry Gilliam. Despite Monty Python's renown, I wouldn't have predicted a French dramedy casting or commemorating any of the members.

Anyway, it's a fine movie. Basically, it's about righting the wrongs. I'll have to see more of Dupontel's movies, and in the meantime I recommend this one.

Two characters on the edge, for different reasons, meet by chance, towards an inevitable end.

This could simultaneously be the summary plot of a romantic comedy written by Nora Ephon or a road movie written by Wim Wenders.

The result is a hybrid, written, performed and directed by Albert Dupontel, which, without ever claiming to be a work of author, the general tone is manifestly mainstream, in the rhythm, in the humor, in the glamor of the settings and characters, it does not leave to wink at the most creative universe of Monty Python, whether in the opening dedication to Terry Jones, or in Terry Gilliam's participation in a small but delicious role as a weapons salesman.

Adieu les Cons is not Monty Python, nor Nora Ephron, nor even Wim Wenders. It is Albert Dupontel, an experienced actor, director and screenwriter, who is well worth knowing, and signs a very interesting work here, on the most varied levels.

French films are a world apart -for good- and this is problably one of the very best you could watch right now. Original, imaginative and very well shot. Outstanding casting.

This dramatic comedy in the form of a corrosive fable is faithful to the themes of Dupontel, very critical of society, once again describing characters damaged by life. An original and well-crafted scenario and convincing and touching actors. All the themes go from abandoned children to the coldness of institutions through police violence and the inhumanity of the administration and the malaise of our contemporary societies where love and happiness in the individual struggle to express themselves. Suffocated by huge buildings, chemicals and everyone's confinement in front of screens from subway to work. A slap that will not please everyone but that will be like a mini catharsis for others. Thanks Albert.

Only 12 reviews on Imdb, for such a lovely, original, quirky, witty and endearing French comedy. Definitely an unknown gem!

The good: this story is hilarious. It simply is. And hilarious is all a comedy needs to be. But this movie is much more. It's an endearing tale of motherly love and of love in general. It's better to die young and have loved passionately than to haved lived long and never have felt TRUE LOVE.

The story is about a mother, who had to give away her baby at birth. Now the mother is dying, but she wants to find her lost son before her illness takes her last breath.

Of all people the mother asks (out of neccesity) the help of a suicidal deskclerk and a flirtatious blind man to find her lost son. It's completely bonkers, with suicide attempt, police chases and shootouts, but it is undeniably OH SO FUNNY.

Bless the French for making such HUMAN and PASSIONATE comdies!