Podium (2004) - film review

Bernard Frédéric is obsessed with the legendary popular singer Claude François.   Believing he is the singer’s double, he plans to make a career by performing a tribute act, with the help of his friend, Couscous.  His wife Véro decides otherwise and for the next five years Bernard settles into a “normal” life as a bank employee.  Then, one day, he receives a phone call from Claude François himself, encouraging him to enter a televised competition featuring doubles of famous celebrities.  Bernard accepts the challenge and, with Couscous as his trainer, he once more “becomes” his idol.   Unfortunately, Bernard’s obsession could ultimately cost him everything – his family, his career – even, perhaps, his life…

This first film from writer-journalist Yann Moix is based on his best-selling novel   and is most likely to become a cult classic – if only because of its gloriously kitsch 1970s feel and its association with one of France’s great singing icons.  Claude François was one of the biggest pop singers of his day (the 1960s and 1970s), his most famous number Comme d’habitude being the original version of My Way (made famous by Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra).  His death in 1978 – electrocution whilst trying to change a light bulb in his bathroom – came as huge shock (excuse the pun) and made him into a mythic figure.

Podium is not the story of Claude François, but rather that of an inconsequential man who happens to be consumed by his love of the singer and of his music.  It’s primarily a film that explores our obsession with celebrity, and does a far better job of it than other recent French films, such as Fabien Onteniente’s disappointing Jet Set (2002).

That “hero”of Podium, Claude François devotee Bernard Frédéric, is played by the popular Belgian actor-comedian Benoît Poelvoorde.  The role appears to suit Poelvoorde perfectly and it certainly allows him to show that, as well as being an entertaining personality, he also has great talent as an actor.  More than anything, it is Poelvoorde’s sympathetic, rough-edged portrayal which gives the film its poignancy and charm.  There are some respectable contributions from co-stars Jean-Paul Rouve and Julie Depardieu, although they are very nearly eclipsed by Poelvoorde’s larger than life screen persona.

Whilst Podium does feel uneven and unnecessarily crude in places (particularly in its first half), such faults are easily overlooked thanks to its untiring sense of fun and amiability.  In essence, it’s just a pleasing feel-good film, whose raîson d’etre is not to win awards but to provide an enjoyable diversion from the mundane routine of everyday life.  (Although, on the down side, once you’ve watched the film, you’ll probably feel an uncontrollable urge to go out and buy a selection of Claude François CDs…)

© James Travers 2006

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