Les sous-doués en vacances

Nobody can beat French cinema as far as comedies are concerned. The most unique thing about them is their inventiveness. Director Claude Zidi is the most respected creator of comedies in France whose films continue to make audiences laugh at all costs. For making 'under gifted in vacations', he teamed up with screen writer Didier Kaminka to create a humorous tale about love and its effect on youngsters as far as finding a soul mate is concerned. This film has already been hailed as a classic in France. It is no wonder that viewers from other countries would also have a gala time enjoying its numerous gags and witty dialogues. One can die laughing simply by watching a gag involving famous French actress 'Brigitte Bardot'. An attractive boy meeting a charming girl to forge a romantic relationship is shown in many films. However,'Les sous-doués en vacances' make good use of a machine called 'love computer' in order to find pairs who are compatible to each other. Trouble starts for everybody when a famous singer decides to ignore the love computer's predictions. It is interesting to watch how his plans are thwarted. Lastly, all astute viewers should distrust this film's low ratings. There are times when low ratings are awarded to a film without knowing its real worth. This film is a good example of this tendency.It is high time its real importance is understood by all serious cinema lovers.

I watched this film back in 2005 when I was someone else, but the message is as true for me now as it was when I wasn't me. It has something for everyone as it takes us all back to those moments when we were happily under-gifted. If you remember standing in the street after the bars close, stumbling up to pee in the gutter and waiving at cars as they pass, and having been to the dentist that very day, your mouth is shot full of Novocaine so that when you attempt to talk you make incoherent noises with a scrunched up face; if as a grown adult you've spent hours barking back at a vicious dog on the other side of a chain link fence, or if you can recall grammar school when most days were spent with your face in a corner feeling like your hands are giant balloons and wondering if it was a good idea to sample the contents of your mother's medicine cabinet... If you've had any of these experiences, this film will speak to you in a familiar spirit. What's more, it will teach you to love again, but in a manner that doesn't end with your incarceration. I have Les sous-doués en vacances on VHS and can't wait to watch it again, and tonight I shall dream of hammers.

For french listeners, this movie is the top of French '80s funny !

If you watch it with subtitles, some lines are lost in translation.

Oh my god, this film was excellent and I wish I could live in it. So sure, I was totally flying on shrooms but this film speaks to me in a voice of flowers. Claude the director totally handles the farcical nonsensical adventure aspects of this oeuvre with a deft touch heretofore unseen. It's Mr. Ed-meets-Platoon-meets-The Devil in Miss Jones, and that, is electrocuting. At one point, and I won't reveal too much, but at a certain point in the film you realize this isn't really about "Vacances" but we are all under-gifted and life is Vacances. Sure there is plenty to laugh at but there is so much truth and so much vacation that, in the end, you find yourself asking, "Are we people, or are we just geometry posing as walking meat?" I can't answer that for you because it would rob you of the rich wisdom that comes from your own filthy journey. One word of advice: Hide the hammers.

I was very excited to watch this sequel as the 1st movie was truly funny and full of nostalgia. But it took only five minutes to wash away my enthusiasm. In a way, the title is lying because nearly all the students disappeared. The band of friends are together at the beginning for a very short short scene and then, only 3 and a half are used in the movie. So I feel cheated. Next, if the story would have been as good as the previous, it would have been maybe enjoyable but it takes forever to push the movie and the chosen location is the worst that they could have found: Saint Tropez ! For a french, we are saturated by this town that is sold as a dream while it's very common: it's funny to see that 30 years later another sequel of a cult comedy would do exactly the same error (« Les Randonneurs A Saint Tropez »). And worst: this one is not really funny. There is maybe three good jokes but that's all: if the cast is rather cool and play the game, if seeing again France in 80 wakes up good vibes, this is not enough at the end!