Une famille à louer

Rich, leisured & bored Benoît sees Efira's rant about family on the TV, after she's busted for shop lifting, and decides he needs a family - hers.

Comic and occasionally involving complication as he moves in with the bottom feeders, with his chauffeur a 'phone call away.

The outcome is instantly predictable and the development routine. Poelvoorde is one of the most original comic actors working today but this must rank among his slighter offerings. Compare Le TOUT NOUVEAU TESTAMENT or Le BOULET.

OK production values.

I imagine some rich people do get bored with their lives. Especially when they are also single/without a significan other. In this case we get the unlikely (or is it?) pairing of a rich guy and a woman struggling to survive. So much so, that she is forced to steal. Which is the inciting incident - well that and the fallout, including an interview.

It is not hard to guess where the movie is going, so predictable is one of the things you can call it without any hesitation. Still this is good light fun one can have. With certain recurring jokes (refrigarator to name one) popping up throughout. The lead actors do their best and you can feel their struggle and pain (fish out of water and all that).

Two very impressive actors in a rather dull comedy.

A rich man rents a family to learn how having a family "feels". He - unsurprisingly - finds out that family life can be rather loud and chaotic. Thus, he has to find a way to deal with it - by leaving or not.

Conventionally this is the point where you, as the reader, are invited to "see for yourself". And since I'm not including a spoiler, I'm not doing otherwise. It's just ... that a person keen on watching movies, used to different plot developments and able to foresee certain happenings ... this film won't be one of the challenging and surprising ones.

It is light entertainment. Perfect for when you are exhausted but too awake to sleep. Or when your thoughts are occupied and you need an insignificant distraction. Then this movie is perfect. It entertains in a lighthearted way.

And might sadly be forgotten as quickly as you watched it. Still, it's not a movie which leaves you with the feeling of having your time wasted!

One more thing I hope you enjoy as much as I did: The soundtrack is pure pleasure! Thus, enjoy!