THE DINNER GUEST
THE DINNER GUEST |
 |
Gerard is in line for a new job. Before he signs the contract, his manager wants to meet for dinner - at Gerard's place! | score 2+ |
moviereview rates films from 1 (unwatchable) to 5 (unmissable) |
| FIND A MOVIEREVIEW |
| Cast Daniel Auteuil, Valérie Lemercier, Thierry Lhermitte, Hippolyte Girardot Director Laurent Bouhnik Screenwriter David Pharao Country France (subtitles) Rating / Running Time PG / 91 minutes Australian Release March 2008 Official Site (c) moviereview
2006-2008
ABN 72 775 390 361 |
L’Invite aka The Dinner Guest,
didn’t do so well in its home country. It’s another of
those brittle on the outside, soft on the inside French comedies that
we’ve come to know so well. And with good reason, they’ve
been making the same film for years. They always star Daniel Auteuil
because he’s the nice guy everyone knows - he might chew your
head off if the mood caught him, but could be relied upon to put the
rubbish out if you forgot. You know, French… So it is with Gerard (Auteuil) who lives with his hare-brained wife (Valérie Lemercier) in a modest Parisian apartment. He’s in line for a new job, but first the manager wants to meet them over dinner. At Gerard’s place. Cue comedy as the couple panic about their home, their lives and their very selves fearing the wrong impression will cost Gerard his job. Managers are evil assures their pushy neighbour (Thierry Lhermitte), a ‘consultant’ who insists on performing a lifestyle makeover. Telegraphs arrive thick and fast as Matisse prints are exchanged for original art, and Gerard is coached on interview etiquette. Oo la la! Based on the book that became a play, The Dinner Guest is sprightly entertainment, little more. Director Laurent Bouhnik doesn’t take things far from source, and not far from similar fish-out-of-water fare like The Closet or The Valet. Lemercier adds sparkle as the put-upon wife who learns the difference between a beefy Burgundy and Boeuf Bourguignon, while Bouhnik riffs on the values of trust and friendship. There’s nothing new about The Dinner Guest, it’s a cinematic Doona that saves the best bits – out-takes during the credits – for last. // COLIN FRASER |