C’est pas moi, c’est lui (1980)

C’est pas moi, c’est lui is a French film comedy first released in 1980, directed by Pierre Richard.  The film stars Pierre Richard, Aldo Maccione, Valérie Mairesse, Danielle Minazzoli and Annette Poivre.  It has also been released under the title: It’s Not Me, It’s Him.  Our overall rating for this film is: mediocre.


Georges Vallier owes his success as a celebrity screenwriter to his underpaid ghost writer Pierre Renard.  When Pierre protests at the way he has been exploited, Valier allows him to take his place at a garden party hosted by the Italian film star Aldo Barazzutti.  The latter invites Pierre to accompany him to Tunisia where they will work together on their next script.  Thinking this is just the opportunity he needs to make his career, Pierre accepts, having no idea of what adventures lie in store…

Pierre Richard doesn’t quite live up to his reputation as a master of film comedy in this lacklustre comedy, which he directed, co-scripted and starred in.  A tired, inconsequential plot proves to be a mere pretext for a series of comic situations, some of which work very well, others of which fail spectacularly.  The lack of imagination in the script is not reflected in Pierre Richard’s performance which, as ever, is unceasingly entertaining.  The actor is however let down by a weak supporting cast, whose wooden – and sometimes irritating – contributions drag the film down to the level of a tedious bargain basement farce.   Whilst there are some utterly hilarious moments in this film (the best being the thieving camel sequence), overall it just fails to satisfy.

© James Travers 2004

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