Des plans sur la comète (2017)
Directed by Guilhem Amesland

Film Review

You would have thought that the combined force of Vincent Macaigne and Philippe Rebbot, two of France's most likeable screen actors today, would be enough to redeem any lightweight comedy, but  in Guilhem Amesland's debut feature Des Plans sur la comète this formidable duo more than have their work cut out for them.  This is one of those curious social comedies, where humour is liberally tinged with sadness, that has become particularly apt for our era of ever-increasing precariousness for anyone who does not have the good fortune to have a secure job in (say) the banking industry.  More Italian than French in its style of comic exuberance, Amesland's film struggles to make much of its painfully hackneyed premise and is too content to trot out facile gags and comic situations that are painfully familiar.  Prior to this, Amesland's career got off to a more respectable start with a few directorial shorts and a stint as an assistant on Guillaume Brac's Un monde sans femmes (2011) and Antonin Peretjatko's La Fille du 14 juillet (2013).

For a soi-disant comedy, Des Plans sur la comète is a pretty grim and ponderous affair.  Thankfully, Macaigne and Rebbot are on hand to prevent this from being an outright disaster, although, badly constrained by a poor script and the director's breathtaking inability to make full use of their respective talents, neither gum-chewing actor manages to get through the film with his reputation entirely intact.  Suzanne Clément and Hafsia Herzi are the film's other two huggable stars who end up being casually sacrificed on the altar of mediocrity.  With such a talented quartet on board, you can't help wondering how much better the film would have been if Amesland had had the good sense to farm out his share of the screenwriting to a more experienced and capable writer.  Whilst visibly lacking in flair, originality and good taste, Des Plans sur la comète does have one or two laugh-out-loud moments, but for the most part it's the movie equivalent of a botched building job.

Film Synopsis

Michel and Frank are two brothers who run their own construction company, although 'opportunistic handymen' would probably be a more accurate description of their hapless moneymaking exploits.  They can hardly believe their good fortune when they win a contract to renovate a large house.  Their client Michèle turns out to be a seductive charmer who soon has a love-struck Michel eating out of her hand.  Luckily, Franck can always be relied on to scupper his brother's romantic ambitions and a budding love affair between Michel and Michèle is soon conveniently stymied by his dodgy dealings.  In his latest ill-conceived scheme, Franck is assisted by Inès, a rebellious shop assistant who dreams of freedom...