Cuisine et dépendances

The adaptation of plays for the screen goes right for the French cinema as the enormous success of "le diner de cons" (1998) and "8 femmes" (2002) testified. It is not this first movie from the pair Jaoui/Bacri that will prove the contrary. Based on a very successful play written by the quoted couple, there are at least 3 good reasons not to miss this excellent comedy of manners.

First, Agnès Jaoui, the director took more liberty in comparison with the play to diversify the place of the action. This, in order to avoid filmed stage production. A major part of the movie takes place in the kitchen but Jaoui preferred to take her camera in other rooms like the corridors or children's bedroom.

Secondly, the director just hired a handful of actors. But with actors like Jean Pierre Bacri or Jean Pierre Darroussin (who won an Oscar in France in 1994 for his performance), you are nearly sure to have a really good time. Trust me.

Thirdly, brilliant dialogs which reveal the tandem Bacri/Jaoui's big talent give the movie a strong appeal. As soon as we are in the kitchen and from the first cues, you can feel that this party is bound to fail. It begins with nearly trite complaints: "the guests are late" or "the dishes are too salted" but the scriptwriters go further and use their dialogs as a way to unmask their characters. Gradually, tension grows, arguments break out, what is left unsaid prevails and you guess wasted lives, hidden dark secrets or poor existences. In the end, the spoiled party, the rancors are mainly brought on by the most important character of the play: a childhood friend who has become a host TV. you hear about him all night long but we never see him.

With these three assets, it would be out-of-place to reject this delightful comedy. Let's regret just one detail: the scenery of the kitchen seems extracted from a sitcom due to gaudy colors. It is however the seminal place of the plot. Fortunately, the power of words and the actors' game are strong enough to forget this shortcoming.