My Best Friend
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Movie Reviews of My Best Friend
Movie Review: François and Bruno: the French Odd Couple.
Summary: 4 Stars
Directed by Patrice Leconte (Monsieur Hire, Intimate Strangers), My Best Friend (Mon Meilleur Ami) stars one of my favorite French actors, Daniel Auteuil, as François, a smug Parisian antiques dealer, who one day realizes that he has no friends. In fact, his co-workers, business associates, and family members all clearly despise him, and bluntly confess as much during his birthday party. (You may remember Auteuil from his fine performances in Jean De Florette / Manon of the Spring, Cache (Hidden), Un Coeur en Hiver ( A Heart in Winter ), La Separation, and Lucie Aubrac.) After betting his lesbian business partner (Julie Gayet) that he will produce a best friend within 10 days, François sets out to find one. His search goes badly. Eventually he meets his complete opposite, a lovable, big-hearted, trivia-obsessed, chattering, Paris cabdriver, Bruno (Danny Boon), resulting in a Gallic Odd Couple. Like Felix and Oscar, these men need each other. Both Auteuil and Boon bring captivating performances to this otherwise formulaic, no-real-surprises, buddy comedy. I'm predicting a Hollywood remake possibly starring Alec Baldwin or John Malkovitch as François and Adam Sandler as Bruno.
G. Merritt
Movie Review: Good...
Summary: 4 Stars
French film with English subtitles. Set in Paris in current times. François Coste, played by Daniel Auteuil, is a successful antique dealer. At his birthday dinner with business associates, he mentions that a famous art collector had a mere 7 attendees at his funeral. The subject turns to Francois - and the group states that Francois would be lucky to have anyone show up at his funeral - he's appalled by these remarks. They proceed to tell him that no one really likes him outside of business dealing. He's shocked by this harsh feedback. His business partner proceeds to bet him that in 10 days he cannot turn up a "best friend."
Francois turns from his obsession with his business to deep introspection and a search for a best friend. His parents are both dead. He is divorced. He does not have a relationship with his daughter. He does not have an intimate relationship with anyone except his material "things." He comes across a "character" driving a taxi cab who helps him with his social and friend making skills and the story moves along to a point where the cab driver becomes Francois' only friend.
Daniel Auteuil plays the role Francois magnificently. A man of few words. Not all that comfortable with people or in crowds - a loner most comfortable on his own - but struggles with his inability to connect with others. You begin to get close to Francois and sympathize with his burden as the movie moves along - you can feel his discomfort and his anxiety. Breezy, brooding film is just over 1.5 hours long. If you loved Daniel Auteuil in "Un Coeur en Hiver (A Heart in Winter), you'll like this film.
Movie Review: Cute
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a cute little French movie about accidental friendship. Successful Parisian antique art dealer stumbles on the ancient piece of art depicting friendship between two Greek heroes. In turn, this prompts his closest business associates to challange him to present his own best friend. As it turns, his business associates turn out to be just that - business associates and old childhood friends finally get around to admit that they have always loathed him. In attempt to learn in 10 days how to make a friend, our main protagonist in the story happens to accidentally make the friend with equally lonely taxi driver. In today's modern world, friendship can often be overrated. Many of us can agree with fortune cookie notion that "prosperity makes friends; adversity tries them". My experience have thougth me that in most times of adversity very few friend did in fact stick around. And if they did stick around, they did not go into a great debth to help out or encourage -- so for that reason it is my personal opinion that in today's modern world true freindship is often rare or for one reason or another, short lived. But for the entertainment purposes, anyone will generally like this movie.Movie Review: Leconte Explores Friendship in this Light-Hearted Film
Summary: 4 Stars
Patrice Leconte's films have always explore friendship which is complicated in general. His recent works included "Man on a Train" and "Intimate Strangers" which are a bit darker than "My Best Friend". Now, the whole premise of this film may be difficult to swallow. A rather selfish art dealer (Auteuil) has a wager with his business partner that he has a best friend. Throughout the film, the art dealer discovers what exactly is friendship from a completely selfless taxi driver. Now, I think part of the humor in this film is how to define friendship. It is not as simple as you think if someone stopped you on the street. We have all sorts of friends and the relationships are very different. In the film, the art dealer constantly tries to understand friendship through little exercises with the taxi driver which is quite funny. Having the art dealer question friendship, Leconte gets to our face and really have us ponder at this matter. The film as a whole is light-hearted but there is a deeper meaning behind it all.Movie Review: Viva la France
Summary: 4 Stars
I love Daniel Auteuil in these types of movies - in other words lighthearted. Just like Apres Vous or After You (in English), this is a charming movie. This is about friendship between two men, one of whom has no problem making friends, whilst the other hasn't a clue. The story is simple, but will leave you with a tear in your eye at the end - and a smile. Enjoy this piece of French heaven.