On peut toujours rêver (1991) - film review

Charles de Boilesve is a man who inspires fear and respect in all who know him.  Known as The Emperor, he presides over a corporate empire and he owns a football team, but nothing in his life satisfies him.  Then, one day, he meets Rachid Marzahoui, a young Arab man who scrapes a living as a barber but who seems to be content with his life.   The millionaire businessman takes a liking to Rachid and engages him as his personal hairdresser.   Through Rachid, Charles begins to find meaning in his life...

On peut toujours rêver is one of Pierre Richard’s less successful directorial exploits, an unconvincing comedy-drama which suffers from poorly developed characters and a thematically weak narrative.   One of the difficulties with the film is that neither of the two main characters is remotely sympathetic, so it is hard for a spectator to become interested in the story.  Richard is virtually unrecognisable as an emotionless, grey-faced businessman, lacking his customary charm and vitality;  the lack of talent of his co-star Smaïn is all too evident – the actor could be replaced with a cardboard cut-out and you would be hard pressed to see any difference.   The central premise behind the story is rather a good one – the idea that a man’s life can be changed for the better through contact with another from a different social stratum – but it is so poorly developed that the film is hardly worth watching.


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