Coluche, l'histoire d'un mec (2008)
Directed by Antoine de Caunes

Comedy / Drama

Film Review

Abstract picture representing Coluche, l'histoire d'un mec (2008)
The main shortcoming of this well-intended but ultimately vacuous account of Coluche's participation in the 1981 French presidential election is that it fails spectacularly to shed any light on the complex character of its central protagonist.   Rather, it appears happy to reduce Coluche to a simplistic caricature that is not far-removed from his stage persona.  This is not to fault François-Xavier Demaison's creditable portrayal of the great humorist, which if nothing else is as good an imitation as we can expect.  Instead, the fault lies with Diastème's shallow hotchpotch of a screenplay and Antoine de Caunes's painfully self-conscious direction, which together virtually strangle the interest value out of a fascinating episode in French politics and prevent us from getting anywhere near the man who was at the heart of it.  The film's ugly cinema-vérité-lite design was presumably intended to give it a documentary feel but this just provides another barrier between the spectator and the film's subject.  Coluche, l'histoire d'un mec lacks both narrative coherence and character depth, and is a pretty soulless endeavour - a vulgar and lacklustre tribute to the man it depicts.
© James Travers 2011
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.
Next Antoine de Caunes film:
Monsieur N. (2003)

Film Synopsis

In 1980, Coluche is one of the most popular comic performers in France.  He attracts the size of audience other comedians can only dream of, be it on stage, on television or on the radio.  Often, his distinctive comedy has an acute political slant - he lampoons politicians and the inability of France to resolve its social problems.  One day, a friend of his suggests that he should go into politics.  Coluche accepts the challenge readily and, to the astonishment of everyone, he puts himself forward as a candidate in the up and coming French presidential elections.  Even he is surprised at the level of support he receives from ordinary French people.  He might even end up winning...
© James Travers
The above content is owned by filmsdefrance.com and must not be copied.


Film Credits

  • Director: Antoine de Caunes
  • Script: Diastème, Antoine de Caunes, Philippe Boggio (book), Jean-Michel Vaguelsy (book)
  • Cinematographer: Thomas Hardmeier
  • Music: Ramon Pipin
  • Cast: François-Xavier Demaison (Coluche), Léa Drucker (Véronique Colucci), Olivier Gourmet (Jacques l'imprésario), Laurent Bateau (Jean-Paul), Jean-Pierre Martins (Romain Goupil), Alexandre Astier (Reiser), Denis Podalydès (Jacques Attali), Valérie Crouzet (Laurence), Serge Riaboukine (Éric), Eric Defosse (Maurice), Gille Galliot (Le professeur Choron), Frédéric Pellegeay (L'agent des RG), Nathan Alexis Slota (L'enfant foot 1), Pierre Alloggia (Journaliste à Château-Thierry), Clémence Aubry (Infirmière), Claude Barichasse (Claude Blanchard), Chris Barry (Journaliste américain), Anne Baudoux (Journaliste), Philippe Beautier (Agriculteur), Grégoire Bonnet (Journaliste)
  • Country: France
  • Language: French
  • Support: Color
  • Runtime: 100 min

The best of British film comedies
sb-img-15
British cinema excels in comedy, from the genius of Will Hay to the camp lunacy of the Carry Ons.
The very best fantasy films in French cinema
sb-img-30
Whilst the horror genre is under-represented in French cinema, there are still a fair number of weird and wonderful forays into the realms of fantasy.
The best of Russian cinema
sb-img-24
There's far more to Russian movies than the monumental works of Sergei Eisenstein - the wondrous films of Andrei Tarkovsky for one.
The best French war films ever made
sb-img-6
For a nation that was badly scarred by both World Wars, is it so surprising that some of the most profound and poignant war films were made in France?
The best of American cinema
sb-img-26
Since the 1920s, Hollywood has dominated the film industry, but that doesn't mean American cinema is all bad - America has produced so many great films that you could never watch them all in one lifetime.
 

Other things to look at


Copyright © filmsdefrance.com 1998-2024
All rights reserved



All content on this page is protected by copyright