On ne choisit pas sa famille (2011)
Directed by Christian Clavier

Adventure / Comedy
aka: You Don't Choose Your Family

Film Synopsis

Owing to his lavish lifestyle, Italian car dealer César Borgnoli is heading for financial ruin.  The one person who can bail him out is his sister Alex, and she agrees to help save the family business only if he performs one small favour for her.  Alex and her lesbian partner Kim are keen to adopt a five-year-old orphan girl from Thailand named Maï, but cannot do so because the Thai authorities only allow children to be adopted by 'conventional' couples.  This is where César comes in.  He is to accompany Kim to Thailand and pass himself off as her husband, so that the adoption of the little girl can go ahead without a hitch.  Reluctantly, César falls in with the plan, even though Kim is probably the last woman on earth he would choose for a partner.

On their arrival in Thailand, the false couple are greeted by Dr Luix, the punctilious doctor who is to assess their suitability for adoption.  Regarding adoption as a very serious matter, Dr Luix exercises great care in assessing prospective parents, so César and Kim come under extremely close scrutiny over the next few days as the doctor follows them around, eager to note the slightest deficiency in their relationship.  The doctor's initial concerns about the couple are soon confirmed.  Constantly bickering, they seem to be the most ill-suited parents he has ever encountered.  Kim's maternal dreams look well and truly scuppered when Alex suddenly puts in an appearance.  What César had naively supposed would be a quick trip to the Far East to conclude a simple formality soon turns into his worst nightmare, thanks to a few unwelcome encounters with the local police and some Chinese gangsters...
© James Travers
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Film Credits

  • Director: Christian Clavier
  • Script: Christian Clavier (dialogue), Michel Delgado (dialogue)
  • Cinematographer: Pascal Ridao
  • Music: Jean-Philippe Goude, Ramon Pipin
  • Cast: Christian Clavier (César Borgnoli), Jean Reno (Docteur Luix), Muriel Robin (Kim), Héléna Noguerra (Alex), Michel Vuillermoz (Jean-Paul), Maily Florentin Dao (Maily), Hélène Patarot (La mère supérieure), Anna Gaylor (La mère de César), Caroline Anglade (Coralie, la coiffeuse), Sophie-Charlotte Husson (La présentatrice TV), Simon Astier (Hervé), Rodolphe Congé (Bruno), Annie Savarin (Irène), Olivier Till (L'huissier), Nathalie Kanoui (Gwen), Philippe Sturbelle (Le prisonnier belge), François Hauteserre (Chauffeur camion huissier), Hiep Tran Nghia (L'homme aux grandes oreilles), Anh Tran-Nghia (La femme de l'homme aux grandes oreilles), Corinne Yam (L'hôtesse thaï Roissy)
  • Country: France
  • Language: French
  • Support: Color
  • Runtime: 103 min
  • Aka: You Don't Choose Your Family

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