Les Vacances de Ducobu (2012) Directed by Philippe de Chauveron
Comedy / Family
aka: Ducoboo 2: Crazy Vacation
Film Review
L'Elève Ducobu was one
of the surprise hits of 2011, a modest family comedy about a schoolboy
from Hell that attracted an impressive audience of 1.5 million.
After this success, it was inevitable that there would be a sequel, but
this time round it is painfully evident that the ideas are in short
supply. Having raided the books in Zidrou and Godi's famous comic
series for the first film, Philippe de Chauveron and his writing team
attempted to concoct their own original story for the follow-up, and
the result is far from successful. We can just about forgive the
replacement of Vincent Claude (the child star of the original film)
with newcomer François Viette, but it is harder to forgive the
lack of inspiration in the humdrum series of sketches that Chauveron
puts our way. The film probably still has some appeal for the
pre-teens, but for the cliché-conscious grown-ups it is
something of a chore to sit through.
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Film Synopsis
The summer holidays could not have some sooner for Ducobu, a boy for whom
school is the most excruciating form of torture imaginable. With term
over Ducobu imagines long lazy weeks during which he can bury himself in
his comic books and feed his face with buckets of ice cream, spared the misery
of having to endure the humiliations heaped on him by his sadistic teachers
Monsieur Latouche and Mademoiselle Rateau. Ducobu's plans are cruelly
dashed when his father outlines a completely different schedule for the summer.
Together they will go on a happy camping holiday with the Gratin family and
see something of the world, instead of being cooped up at home for the duration.
On hearing this nightmarish prospect Ducobu's heart sinks. It will
be worse than being at school. He will be dumped in some unspeakable
spot in the country or, worse, dragged around vile museums 'for his education'.
But this is not the worst of it. It so happens that the twin terrors
Latouch and Rateau have chosen the same spot as Ducobu's father for
their summer break. The nightmare is only just beginning...
Script: Benoît Drousie,
Bernard Godisiabois,
Philippe de Chauveron,
Marc de Chauveron,
Guy Laurent
Cinematographer: Christophe Paturange
Music: Marc Chouarain
Cast:Elie Semoun (Professeur Latouche),
Joséphine de Meaux (Mlle Rateau),
Héléna Noguerra (Adeline Gratin),
Pierre-François Martin-Laval (Hervé Ducobu),
Bruno Salomone (Esteban),
François Viette (L'élève Ducobu),
Juliette Chappey (Léonie Gratin),
Cyril Lecomte (Le directeur du village de vacances),
Jean-Marc Ravera (Le vieux marin),
André Penvern (Antoine Ferchereau),
Mohamed Metina (Le guide du musée),
Frédéric Saurel (Le poissonnier),
Jean-Michel Lahmi (Le directeur du musée),
Farrah Delaunay M'Bengue (La vendeuse de vêtements),
Gérald Nguyen Ngoc (Le Chinois),
Denis Mouries (Le patron du bar),
Frédéric Restagno (Le marin),
Anaïs Fabre (L'infirmière),
Beebish (L'assistante du directeur du village),
Annabelle Celton (Alice)
Country: France
Language: French
Support: Color
Runtime: 94 min
Aka:Ducoboo 2: Crazy Vacation
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