The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2010)

There's a simple reason this movie has taken so long to make, and it's this: while Douglas Adams' classic The Hitch-Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy is a hilarious book, it's a rubbish novel.

I mean that in the nicest possible way it's one of my favourite books, but it's barely a story at all more a set of dead-eye, deadpan observations on the absurdity of life, and particularly the British way of life, revolving very loosely around a chap in a dressing-gown. While that's great fodder for a comedy read, it's no basis for a coherent, 90 minute motion picture, especially one having the American market in mind.

It's a matter of record that Douglas Adams realised there was no story, but not until it was too late to fix it (about halfway through book two). From that point onwards made several attempts to pull everything back into a single coherent, archetypal story but totally failed, and in the process ruined the remaining three and a half books themselves, none of which are funny, let alone a good story.

A film-maker has a choice, therefore: stick with the material and film something which is not so much a screenplay as an extended, themed version of Saturday Night Live, or do some significant damage to the source material "zap straight off to its major data banks and reprogram it with a very large axe", if you will and make a story out of it.

The first option will in equal measure thrill and infuriate the party faithful, but bore the rest of the population; the second will most likely infuriate the party faithful, but at least has a chance with everyone else. Since the Hitch-Hiker's Guide is now twenty years old, there is probably a whole generation who, so far in their lives, have missed it altogether, so you can hardly blame director Garth Jennings for choosing option two.

What instead we should do is take our hats off to him: he's fashioned a great story but preserved surprising amounts of the source; his innovations are sympathetic and in a couple of cases (the point-of-view gun and the face-slapping devices on the Vogsphere) are a match for the original material; the wonderful production design thoroughly captures the loveable Britishness of Adams' story (the Vogons hover somewhere between the schoolmasters of `70s Pink Floyd and the sort of bureaucrats whom you might find behind the desks of some Ministry of Monty Python's devising), and on top of all that he's coaxed some wonderful performances out of the cast. Martin Freeman captures Arthur Dent's everyman perfectly and has real chemistry with Zooey Deschanel's Trillian; John Malkovich, Bill Nighy, Bill Bailey and both the original Arthur Dent and Marvin from the BBC TV series make hilarious cameos, as does the smiling face of the late creator himself, Douglas Adams, as the very last shot of the movie. That was a splendid touch.

The less forgiving purists are bound to gripe about what's missing; but on the whole I'm the more forgiving sort of purist. Perhaps there is something sinister in the conspicuous omission the Babel Fish "proof" for the non-existence of God was that a Disney-required edit or just my perfectly normal paranoia? and I was a bit sad my favourite exchange in all of Douglas Adams' writing was omitted (Arthur: "It's at times like this, when I'm trapped in a Vogon airlock with a man from Betelgeuse, and about to die from asphyxiation in deep space that I really wish I'd listened to what my mother told me when I was young." Ford: "Why? What did she say?" Arthur: "I don't know, I didn't listen"), but overall this was an extremely enjoyable, touching experience and I can't think of a better way to have rounded off an otherwise trying Thursday.

Thursdays. I never could get the hang of Thursdays.

Olly Buxton

Having owned the first release of this movie on DVD, when I heard it was coming out on Blu-Ray I had to pick it up; after all, this was the movie that convinced me to pick up Douglas Adams' spectacular written novels (from Hitchhiker's to Dirk Gently) and give them a read. While watching the movie in 1080i was a pleasure, I was rather disappointed to find that many of the special features found on the original disc including the absolutely brilliant interface with the interactive improbability drive that occasionally took you to an Easter Egg were stripped out of the Blu-Ray disc. I could have even dealt with the loss of the interface in exchange for the movie showcase menu that allows you to access features, select scenes, and access the setup while the movie is playing, if only they had provided all the content on the original DVD. I've experienced this now on a couple of Blu-Ray discs and I find it quite upsetting (officially entering rant territory), that despite the capacity for Blu-Ray discs to hold 80% more data than a DVD, and 40% more data than a HD disc, that companies are skimping on features and selling the discs at an inflated price. While Blu-Ray may be the superior format, it's not going to gain in market standing by the release of inferior products.

Buy The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2010) Now

Thankfully, the film remains quite faithful to the spirit of Adams' book. For example, all of the Guide entries are taken verbatim from it. The massive budget results in a great looking movie that properly captures the scope and scale of the story. There is extensive use of CGI to recreate intergalactic space travel and the planet showroom inside of Magrathea (some of the film's most arresting visuals), but this is mixed with old school, reliable rubber costumes for creatures like the Vogons that gives them a texture that you just can't get with computers. This movie is light years ahead of the clunky BBC version which resembled a bad-looking episode of Dr. Who.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy may not have done well in North America because it lacked recognizable A-list movie stars (but then again, neither did the original Star Wars) with decidedly British sense of humour. Sadly, it failed to connect on a mass audience level despite a significant marketing push. Regardless, it is still an entertaining, big, splashy science fiction movie that manages to preserve the wit of Adams' book. So long now and thanks for all the fish.

"Making of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" is a fairly standard making of featurette. Not surprisingly, director Garth Jennings said that the key to this movie was in the casting. So, he gathered an eclectic group of actors.

Also included is an "Additional Guide Entry" which faithfully recreates the gag from the book about man proving that God doesn't exist but then it fails to include the book's punchline in which man goes on to prove that black is white and gets killed at the next zebra crossing.

There are three deleted scenes that amount to merely extra little bits that include Ford's update entry for Earth as "Mostly harmless."

There are also two "Really Deleted Scenes" that are basically goofy outtakes of the cast hamming it up.

"Sing Along `So Long and Thanks for All the Fish" allows you to sing with the film's catchy Monty Python-esque theme song cum show tune karoake-style.

There is an audio commentary by Jennings, producer Nick Goldsmith and actors Martin Freeman and Bill Nighy. It's a fun, relaxed track as everyone enjoys themselves watching the movie.

Fans of the book will enjoy the additional commentary track with executive producer Robbie Stamp and Douglas Adams colleague Sean Solle. They talk about the movie in relation to Adams' original vision and also speak at length about the differences between the film, the video game, the radio play and the book, justifying the reasons for certain changes. Best of all, Stamp points out the little details that are buried throughout the film in this excellent track.

There is "Marvin's Hangman," that allows you to play a variation of the hangman word game but with Marvin's robot parts.

The extras included on the DVD are done in the style and tone of the movie, including a clever feature known as the "Improbability Drive" that will take you to a completely random moment in one of the extras.

Read Best Reviews of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2010) Here

Do you know someone who absolutely can NOT tell a joke? They're the person who, set up with the most perfectly hilarious joke in the world, will mangle it. Some people can "do comedy" and some people cannot. Douglas Adams certainly knew how to WRITE comedy, and all the written incarnations of "Hitchhiker's" are among the most hilarious passages of the English language.

This film, based on that brilliant writing, is like one of the world's greatest jokes, mucked up in the telling.

"Hitchhiker's" is NOT about story, and it is most certainly not about a love story. It's about attitude and a wry observation about how brainless much of the world is. This movie doesn't match the spirit of Adams' writing with two notable exceptions: Sam Rockwell "gets it" with his performance as 2-Headed, 3-armed President of the Galaxy Zaphod Beeblebrox. Zaphod is the kind of character perpetually in search of his next great party. It seems that the primary benefit to being President of the Galaxy is giving him a great line to pick up girls. Bill Nighy also captures the right Adams spirit as Slartibartfast, a name you don't want to say three times fast. I give one star each for Sam and Bill.

Much of the humor of the book(s) come from asides and lines that are rendered for the benefit of the audience. Hero Arthur Dent learns the same morning first that his house is being demolished so that a bypass can be built, then that the earth is being destroyed by a Vogon Constructor Fleet so that an inter-galactic bypass can also be constructed. His friend Ford Prefect (unknown to Arthur an alien from the planet Betelgeuse) hurries Arthur off to a pub and begins explaining about how the earth is about to be destroyed.

Chapter Two ends:

"This must be Thursday," said Arthur musing to himself, sinking low over his beer, "I never could get the hang of Thursdays."

In this film Arthur neither muses nor sinks and the cleverness of Adams fine and hilarious prose gets passed by quickly as if the Mona Lisa were displayed beside the tracks of a speeding train, and the only glimpse you could get of it was as the train sped you past it.

Douglas Adams' words have ALWAYS been the "star" of Hitchhikers. That and the attitude I mentioned before could have been transformed into a serviceable film. No doubt at the urging of some Hollywood type, a love story that doesn't exist in any prior incarnation of the written word shows up in this movie and stops any momentum that might have been building dead in its tracks.

Marvin the Robot, one of the most memorable non-human characters in literary history, is given the voice of Alan Rickman, but the body of a walking trash can. Three decades after C3PO first appeared, it is inexcusable to botch Marvin the Paranoid Android.

This movie is hilarious and entertaining in a way that is not at all hilarious or entertaining.

*sigh* Now I don't know whether to look forward to "The Restaurant at the End of the Universe" or not.

Want The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2010) Discount?

Once again Hollywood follows the trend of rushing out the DVD of a summer movie, only to release a "deluxe" edition right before Christmas. I can't tell you how excited I was to buy this movie until I heard that the UK is getting a deluxe 2-disc version (which looks like a copy of the Guide itself), and the US will have to wait another 3 months. Keep in mind, I LOVE this movie, it just breaks my heart that such a great movie is getting such a shoddy release. Not everyone will care.. some people just want the movie and don't care about extras, but some of us do. It's become routine that a movie comes out early summer, is released sometime in September, and released again (only better) in late November. They've done it with Hellboy, they're doing it with Sin City, and now they're doing it with this. I urge you to wait for the special edition so maybe Hollywood will stop trying to make us buy the same movie twice.

Save 20% Off

Read More >>

The Yankles (2012)

This is a very enjoyable movie with a big heart. It takes the classic underdog gets a second chance theme and presents it in its own unique way. It centers on a baseball team, but it is not a "sports" movie. It takes place at a Yeshiva, but it is not a religious movie. Rather, it's a feel-good movie with likeable characters that will absolutely leave a smile on your face. As far as originality, it does hew to the well-known cinematic theme of underdogs doing well under the guidance of new leadership, however much originality is here in context of the setting, the characters and their cultural struggles with the sport, as well as an interesting plot twist that may prevent them from ultimately playing in an important league tournament. I first saw it on the big screen, and now that it is out on Blu-ray (as well as on Amazon Instant Video), I plan on having it as part of my permanent home library as well!

In life, winning isn't everything. Sports films have built their own industry within an industry about exploring what it is that makes one a winner: is it the final score, is it the way the game is played, or is it something more, something magical, something that'll always be elusive except to those who're willing to put in on the line for their team? Along comes THE YANKLES, and you'll believe it has far more to do with one's faith faith in the game, faith in your God, faith in yourself and maybe that's the best estimation put to film yet.

Down-on-his-luck Charlie Jones (played by Brian Wimmer) an ex-baseball player fresh out of jail and trying to reform his life and image can't find a team anywhere that'll touch him with a ten foot pole. Enter "the Yankles," a brand-new college team desperately in need of a coach! A former Minor League playing now pursuing his faith learns that Jones needs to meet his community service commitment under the terms of his parole, and voila! It's a match made in sports comedy Heaven ... or whatever may account for Heaven in the Jewish faith.

What writer/director David R. Brooks (along with writing partner Zev Brooks) has done is they've smartly examined the world of sports through the prism of faith ... and why not? There have long been messages about believing in one's self mirrored in the best sports movies, but he's amped up the faith to an all new level here by revolving the story around a fictional collegiate team set at a Jewish school. What could spiral into "preachy-ness" stays mostly sublime as the team struggles to understand `the game' instead of simply `winning it,' allowing for such handsome subplots as having a father and a son comes to terms with their differing views on life as well as Jones trying to win back his former love who's now embraced her faith fully. Through Jones' eyes, the audience gets introduced to these matters; through the team's eyes, they see what rewards come with the full expression of it. It's balanced extremely well, and, indeed, these matters of devotion end up meaning more personally than they would in a film wholly centered on baseball.

My only complaint and, sure, I'm a critic, so I have to have at least one is that the games here never really get center stage. (I know that wasn't the pure intent of the film, but I'll say what I think needs to be said anyhow.) Instead of building up the game giving the viewer a handful of sequences to set up how important a critical play or crucial inning is for the story instead we're given only the pivotal sequence. Instead of presenting the full sense of a game, the game is reduced to just what's needed to underscore the message. That's all well and good; and it happens so consistently throughout that it's easy to determine that it was either (a) deliberate or (b) due to the constraints of time. However, it would've been nice to have the big game the championship game play out a bit closer to the way they do in a traditional sports film. So much was made about the lessons learned in getting to `the show' that it would've been nice to give those moments more screen time; still, it's a minor blemish in an otherwise solid (and noble) run around the bases. Otherwise, the film never feels formulaic, and it retains a modest freshness throughout.

For the record, I know very little about the Jewish faith. While a large part of THE YANKLES' storylines explore what it's like to be a Jew especially as it impacts with playing a sport I found all of it extremely accessible. I've no doubt that if I had a stronger understanding of the Jewish faith I probably would've uncovered even more humor in the script, but, as I've read some scuttlebutt online about "needing to be a Jew" in order to truly appreciate the film, I wanted to debunk that so far as I was concerned. This non-Jew found plenty to identify with and cheer about with this feature.

At a time when the evening news is fairly regularly filled with stories of players, parents, coaches, referees, and umpires going berserk on and off the playing field, how refreshing is it to find a film like THE YANKLES? Certainly, the story briefly explores I said "briefly," folks the importance of winning on the field, but so much more of the film spends time exploring how important a winning strategy is off the field. There are metaphors for winning in life, in school, in faith, in relationships.

THE YANKLES is produced by Magnolia Pictures with DZB Productions, LLC. DVD distribution is handled through Magnolia Home Entertainment. The disc looks exceptional, and I'll admit I had some trouble with audio in a few sequences; the mix was a bit off for my tastes, but it was certainly fixable on my sound system. And, for the record, the film has won plenty of accolades, including "Audience Favorite Best Feature' at both the 2010 Palm Beach International Film Festival and the 2011 Trimedia Film Festival, as well as other citations at the 2010 Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival, the 2010 Int'l Family Film Festival, the 2011 New Jersey Jewish Film Festival, the 2010 Heartland Film Festival, and the 2010 Anaheim International Film Festival. The disc includes deleted scenes, behind-the-scenes featurettes, extended musical scenes (music plays a large role in the flick), an audio commentary, and other little trinkets.

HIGHEST RECOMMENDED. Certainly a case could be made that THE YANKLES isn't for everyone, but it would be just plain silly to do so. And you'd be a putz! Or a schmuck! Give in to the wholesome charm of watching these young Rabbis-in-training put up or shut up in their trials to just play the game, and have yourself two hours of fun. Plus, it's overwhelmingly family-friendly even for the young'uns who'll probably find even more to laugh at than this old soul did.

In the interests of fairness, I'm pleased to disclose that the fine folks at Magnolia Home Entertainment provided me with a DVD screener copy of THE YANKLES by request for the expressed purposes of completing this review.

Buy The Yankles (2012) Now

Every Baseball fan and Jew should see this movie. This is a great movie for frends to get together and watch. Also fun movie for a temple togther.

Read Best Reviews of The Yankles (2012) Here

This is a very enjoyable movie with a big heart. It takes the classic underdog gets a second chance theme and presents it in its own unique way. It centers on a baseball team, but it is not a "sports" movie. It takes place at a Yeshiva, but it is not a religious movie. Rather, it's a feel-good movie with likeable characters that will absolutely leave a smile on your face. As far as originality, it does hew to the well-known cinematic theme of underdogs doing well under the guidance of new leadership, however much originality is here in context of the setting, the characters and their cultural struggles with the sport, as well as an interesting plot twist that may prevent them from ultimately playing in an important league tournament. I saw it on the big screen, and now that it is out on Blu-ray, I plan on having it as part of my permanent home library as well!

Want The Yankles (2012) Discount?

Fantastic movie -well-written, engaging subject matter, and inspiring story. Enjoyed by the entire family. Kudos for a great and entertaining production. I highly recommend this film.

Save 32% Off

Read More >>

Zombie Strippers (+ BD Live) (2008)

"They're zombies. They're strippers. They're zombie strippers." Heavy on zombies, heavy on strippers. Do you need to know more? This is an offensive, willfully retarded, insulting, and moronic undead breast-fest that delivers precisely what it promises. The catch is, it's pretty goddamn funny in spite of itself and has some amusing political commentary to boot. If you come in knowing you are going to see Z-grade garbage on an epic scale, you'll have yourself a fun time. If you go in expecting a cerebral horror masterpiece then you're that A-hole that goes to see Kill Bill and then writes to the local newspaper to complain about the horrible and unexpected violence you were subjected to. DIE! True story, by the way.

The film opens with a glimpse at America's possible future under the W Corporation. The only merger more insidious than zombies and strippers: government and big business. But Chief Justice Jenna Bush (shown in her robes giving double metal horns with her tongue hanging out) thinks it's totally awesome. It's a laugh riot that brings to mind films like Idiocracy and definitely sets the tone for the story. And a stupid story it is. With the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Lebanon, Iran, etc. killing Americans in droves, our Commander in Chief decides that re-animating dead soldiers for re-use is the way to go. Because that zombies as biological weapons thing always ends well. The virus ends up in a strip club where we see every nearly every single female character there strip for about 20 minutes straight. Porn legend Jenna Jameson is the first to be infected and rises from her grisly demise with superhuman stripping skills and a bit of a taste for human flesh. Seeing her bloody act driving the crowd wild, some of the other strippers (each an annoying stereotype, but also hot enough to overlook that fact) want in. Soon, the club is doing record business and the zombified patrons/mid-show snacks are building up in the cellar. I'm sure they won't ever wind up getting lose. Never. Yes, this movie is that audacious and dimwitted. Even after the strippers are all rotting and icky the crowd loves them. Even when they start ripping limbs off of patrons to beat each other with they don't notice something is amiss. If you would find this funny, then this is your movie. If not, walk on by.

But the stupid doesn't stop there. There's the janitor, Paco; a deliberately offensive Mexican stereotype with the worst fake mustache I've ever seen. Seeing him kiss the picture of his wife and daughters (all named Maria), or bid his burro (which suddenly appears out of nowhere) goodbye, or reference a famous line from The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (you know the one) not once but twice was pretty funny. I mean awful! Just plain awful! I did laugh, though. A lot. As dumb as this movie is, it never becomes unaware of it's inherent stupidity and remembers to make fun of itself. Robert Englund seems to be having the time of his life playing the over-the-top germphobic club owner, Jameson looks really cool with her black contacts in, seeing Tito Ortiz wuss out at the first sign of trouble was worth a snicker or two, and hearing the awful Eastern European woman -the kind who fits "how you say..." into every sentencefinally break down and say "looook into my eyes" in that dumb faux-Romanian accent was great. Also. gore and nudity. Lots and lots of gore and nudity. There's also gore WITH nudity. Mmmmm...gooory nudityyy.

Add a zombie stripper catfight incorporating the old ping-pong shooter trick as a weapon, some ridiculously out of place existential musings, and a crack military unit called Z-Squad (oh look, the Asian chick knows karate!) and you've got a retarded good time on your hands. There is almost 40 minutes of extended and deleted scenes, including the true conclusion to Paco's tale of immigrant stereotypes. A few behind-the-scenes featurettes and a commentary track round out the bonus features. "Zombie Strippers" is the precise definition of stupid fun, guilty pleasure, cheesy sleazy trash, so bad it's good, or whatever you call movies like this. You are either in or out; do not freakin' complain if you don't like it because if that is the case, you had no business being there in the first place. It's zombies. It's strippers. It's "Zombie Strippers" and in it's own way it is gore-geous.

Zombie Strippers....great title.

How can a title like that not sell?

Well,once the laughter dies down after reading that title,you realize there's a movie to go along with it,and that's the problem.

It's hard to screw up a film like "Zombie Strippers',but the filmmakers do a very good job of doing just that.

Many other viewers have noted the film's synoposis(Did you really NEED one?),so I'll just critique the film.

The film has an identity crisis,not quite sure if it's outrageous horror comedy or softcore porn,and never do the two meet together in an appropiate manner.

The major problems are:

The filmmakers try to make a political statement with this film,never realizing that politics have no place in a film called "Zombie Strippers".

Most of the humor is outdated,trendy,"Bush-bashing",the kind you see on college campuses,and it is pretty stale already.

The humorous idea of strippers who become better strippers as zombies is funny,but never comes off(Just why DO the guys in the film find rotting corpses sexy,is beyond me...it's NEVER explained).

The comic action suffers because it has NO believability.

I understand this is a comedy,but for most good comedy(and horror) to work,there has to be some root in reality.

The special forces team in the film is just corny and lame,and ultimately,characterless.

The guns they are using are OBVIOUSLY phony,and that's something of a distraction as well.

Most of the cast is painfully unfunny,even though veterans like Robert Englund,clearly try.

There is NO main character,or audience identification figure,either,which makes the experiance even more bizarre.

How about the T and A?

The girls are all generally attractive and well built,but nudity isn't as frequent as one would expect as this film follows the hollywood rules of "good girls don't take off there clothes",and that hurts that large portion of the audience.Only really a third(or less) of the chicks actually show anything...and mainly as corpses!

It also probally dosen't help either that it's just GROSS to see Jenna Jameson and company as NUDE,rotting corpses.

The blood and gore is mainly lame CGI,so gorehounds will probally be disapointed there as well.

On another hand,the zombie makeups are pretty good,and there clearly a few homages to the works of Tom Savini.

A few laughs are on hand,but to really appreciate this film would take a high level of inebriation...and I mean ALOT of booze,guys!

For the frat boys,this film may be a pleasant diversion.

For horror fans,you've seen funnier,bloodier and sexier.

For skin fans....eh.Okay.Nothing great.

Overall,nothing to highly reccomend,could have been alot better,really.

But what the hell did I expect with a film called "Zombie Strippers',anyway?

Buy Zombie Strippers (+ BD Live) (2008) Now

Oh lordy, lordy. What can I say. I expected T&A and the girls were definitely hot when they were alive, but how on earth can someone like dead, smelly, rotting stripper zombies. I know, I know, it's a parody. Robert Englund has come a long way. I like him but not so much in this movie. I thought he could have had a better part in it all. Anywho, what do you expect from a movie called "Zombie Strippers?"

Read Best Reviews of Zombie Strippers (+ BD Live) (2008) Here

Zombie strippers was actually based on true events. No really. Well, at least the zombie sex scenes were. They were based on my ex-wife, and our wedding night. In fact, she was supposed to be cast in the movie, but when she came in for the audition she scared the zombie extras so bad they had to use real zombies, and you know how expensive they can be. Because the UOD (Union Of the Dead) cuts no deals with the living, and has great benefits. I mean, have you ever seen a zombie with bad teeth?

Want Zombie Strippers (+ BD Live) (2008) Discount?

I don't even know where to start; this movie is just bad. It made no sense from beginning to end. I think the director was going for the worse movie of the year award. Who thinks up such non-sense? I only watched it because it was free on Amazon with Prime membership. Amazon really does need to do better with the free movie choices. If this is what I have to watch as a Prime member I'd rather be regular.

Save 60% Off

Read More >>

Potiche

Potiche pretends to be silly and lighthearted while being rife with undercurrents that threaten to provide deeper meaning to the story. This is colorful and goofy with acting that approaches broad, then withdraws at the verge as if to regard whether the audience is paying attention. At the lead is Catherine Deneuve (Suzanne), who skillfully plays a smart character that has become accustomed to playing dumb all her life. `Potiche' refers to the trophy wife that she has become, married to a ignorant and arrogant man (Robert) who rules an umbrella factory as his own private fiefdom. The factory was built and run for years by Suzanne's father, but he seems to think it was his creation all along. The workers at the umbrella factory strike, Robert storms the protest to give them a good verbal lashing and is taken hostage. Suzanne is left to negotiate as the head of the factory in his absence with the help of Maurice (Gerard Depardieu), the socialist mayor. While styled as a quick-witted farce, Potiche is filled with conflicting passions. The socialists and capitalists are at each others' throats, men and women battle for financial supremacy (always thinly veiled sexual warfare), and numerous themes regarding globalization, sexual liberation, and gender roles play a supporting part. First and foremost, it is a comedy, and it is a sharp one at that.

Suzanne is the very picture of still waters, though she is none too deep throughout Potiche. She writes simple and silly poems, jogs, and ignores her husband's clumsy infidelities. She is not stupid, however, just bored. Her husband does not have her fooled, for example, since she just prefers to let other women service the idiot with whom she shares the house. This is where Deneuve shows why she is one of the greatest of actresses her arc is a practical one, and when given power she runs with it, and it never feels like a false one imbued with informed attributes. Her children do not seem to recognize her abilities, openly mocking her with their assumptions of her simplicity. He daughter Joelle remarks "I do not want to end up like you", with no malice intended. Well, Suzanne just has nothing better to do at the moment. When the strike occurs, she eventually becomes an effective negotiator after considerable trial and error. Maurice is on hand to lend his support, though mostly out of affection for Suzanne, as they shared love once. Robert is thick from start to finish, never accepting the notion that his wife could actually run the factory effectively, though he is correct that she would be incapable of his ruthlessness.

While this sounds like a 9 to 5 remake (sans the awesome douchebaggery of Dabney Coleman), Francois Ozon is careful to maintain a tone of breezy silliness. Make no mistake, there is an iron grip on the production, and the tale is meticulously crafted while appearing to take nothing about itself seriously. Potiche is deeply derisive about traditional gender roles, mocks capitalism as only a Frenchman can, and is free to drop acidic dialogue whenever possible. Suzanne is a demure housewife, but this mold is hilariously broken as we get to know her more closely. As the flashbacks begin to pile up with her copulations, and she starts to forget just who she was servicing at any one time, it becomes a joke in itself. The most traditional woman is her daughter Joelle, who is herself a parody of virulently conservative radical women who feel women belong in the home and men belong in the office, holding a bullwhip to use on cheeky employees as often as possible. Robert is a traditional man, and inherits the factory but acts as though he built it. This is a sly play on free market conservatives who are confused by the notion that there is more to success than work. He has his fun with the secretary (who hates him anyway), but Suzanne could not give a toss, her own infidelities committed out of joie de vivre rather than something as insipid as revenge.

The film is set in the 1970s amidst a time of economic turmoil, though the subject of globalization (Joelle proposes moving the factory to North Africa) renders the period moot. The issues involved in Potiche are timeless, and perhaps one of the points to be made would be that one must always be adaptable, if not always capable. Suzanne is as egalitarian in her political and fiscal leanings as her sexual conquests, while Maurice appears to be running out of steam. He changes little throughout the film, and it is suggested that perhaps one's political bent should be either flexible or it had better be disposable.

This is a busy film, and one gets the impression that Francois Ozon is constantly messing with you. I appreciate that sentiment, as his best films (Swimming Pool, 5×2) struggle mightily to move the goalposts and deny the audience a comfortable seat. In this, I likely missed some important themes and clever jokes that slid by me, as I was captivated by the enormous sense of humor at the core of Potiche. That, and the flawless and immensely relaxed performances by Deneuve and Depardieu, who inhabit their characters and make acting look easy.

I am already a fan of Francois Ozon, so I expected I would like this film, and indeed I did. Ozon has a very light touch, and although he also makes serious films, I see him as a master of comedy. Throughout his works I can see the influence, visually and in terms of humour, of Pedro Almodovar and the later-phase John Waters. Like Almodovar, Ozon's sets are always impeccably and artistically done, with a fantastic sense of color and good taste. The actors are well-cast and well-utilized in their roles; I especially enjoyed Deneuve, whose portrayal makes use of that light touch that she and Ozon seem to have in common. The look of the "Potiche" is often similar to that of Ozon's comedy "8 Women" that also features fabulously extravagant interiors.

Besides Deneuve--Gerard Depardieu, Fabrice Luchini, Karen Viard, Judith Godreche, and Jeremie Renier are standouts as well. The excellent score is done in a style reminiscent of 1970's sitcoms, although not specifically in the American sense. As Madame Pujol's son Laurent, Jeremie Renier is a strangely effeminate supposedly straight guy; it's as if Ozon had him portray the role in this way to play up yet another campy aspect of the film. I found end of the picture to be quite moving, as Madame Pujol finally achieves her ultimate liberation and expresses her love and support for the community she has always been a part of. The final scene features Madame Pujol singing, 'C'est Beau La Vie"; at this point, she seems to be Catherine Deneuve as much as she is her character; but it doesn't matter, and the entire effect brought tears to my eyes. Ozon has a way of making comedies that initially seems superficial and silly, but by the end of the film one becomes aware of a sub-textual rigour as well.

The DVD also includes the 1 hour and 11 minute "Making of Potiche" that provides insight into Ozon's working methods, who appears to be even-tempered and generally smiling. The actors also seem to be enjoying themselves on the set. This documentary also gives one hints of the various actors' off-screen personalities; Depardieu is constantly "on" and making jokes, almost to the point of being obnoxious; Karen Viard complains the glasses that "uglify" her in her role as Nadege, the sexy secretary; Jeremy Renier often looks uncomfortable, although trying to hide this with good humour; the rest of the cast remains relatively low-key.

Stephen C. Bird, Author of "Hideous Exuberance"

Buy Potiche Now

A very enjoyable story in the retrostyle, very well acted by an outstanding cast. It even manages to keep you guessing as to the outcome.

Read Best Reviews of Potiche Here

Denueve as an umbrella factory heiress leads to some charming echoes of one of her earliest (and one of my favorite) films, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, but that charm is wasted on a film that feels more like a sketch or outline than a fully developed story. The characters are flat and the movie just sort of rolls along through the plot points without ever giving the audience a reason to care.

Want Potiche Discount?

This has been compared to `Made in Dagenham', but I think this is actually much better and whilst they both deal with female empowerment, this one just oozes style. It stars Catherine Deneuve as Suzanne Pujol, who is the trophy wife of Robert. He married her and got her fathers umbrella factory as a dowry, employing three hundred workers. He then became a misogynistic stereo type of the bullying kind that epitomised the early seventies.

His negative attitude spills over to industrial relations and sets him on a collision course with the unions at his factory. They do a wild cat strike, he intervenes and after much wrangling he is released. This is done with the aid of the Communist Mayor, one Maurice Babin (Gerard Depardieu). All of the attention, and it must be said womanising finally catches up with Robert and he has a collapse. In the power vacuum that ensues, Suzanne steps in and takes over.

Set in 1977, there are some great period details, despite IMDB claiming a couple of gaffs like using a song from Bacarra that was not out until 1978, not really a deal breaker. It is beautifully filmed and directed by François Ozon (`Swimming Pool' and `8 women'). We soon discover that Suzanne is a `woman with a past' which makes up for her dumb blond performance at the beginning. This `past' includes the Mayor Maurice. I must say that there is genuine on screen chemistry between Deneuve and Depardieu, but he always seems to be able to pull it off (no pun intended).

There are also sub plots involving the children, a sideways dive into politics and some good comic asides. This though is not a full on comedy, it is a warm gentle film, with a feel good factor that sweeps you along. All of the performances are top notch especially from Fabrice Luchini who plays Robert. He is sexist, manipulating, a bully and yet I could not help but find him absolutely genuine and quite funny.

It has the perfect run time of an hour and a half, and some great musical asides too, but to say anymore may be a plot spoiler. I saw the trailer for this and decided I would not rush to see it, but this is one of those rare exceptions where the film is miles better than the trailer even hinted at, very nearly five stars, highly recommended, cest une triomphe!

Save 20% Off

Read More >>