Gaspard et Robinson (1990) - film review

Rejected by others, two solitary outsiders Gaspard and Robinson form a close bond of friendship and retreat to the barren salt marshes of Marseilles to open a seaside café.  Gaspard’s wife walked out on him when he lost his job; Robinson was abandoned by his parents when he was a child.  When Robinson meets an old woman alone by the side of the road, he takes her back to his home and offers to let her stay.  Gaspard is less enthusiastic at the idea of adopting an old woman…

This bittersweet comedy makes a poignant statement about the importance of friendship and family in an increasingly fragmented society.   Beautifully filmed, with an attractive score from Michel Legrand, this is a film which appeals perhaps more to the senses than to the intellect.  The on-screen rapport between Gérard Darmon and Vincent Lindon is both touching and entertaining, and each of their characters is well-drawn and believable.   There are also some great comic moments in the film, although such comedy is used sparingly.  The main fault with the film is that there is really very little in the way of plot or character development and the film drags painfully in places, apprently having lost sight of where it is heading.

© James Travers 2002

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