One of the constants of the French Film Festival over the years has been the presence of the bumbling secret agent OSS 117 and his misadventures in keeping the world free of the spectre of communism and Nazis. This time he finds himself in Rio, on the trail of a former Nazi who is blackmailing the French Government with a microfilm list of wartime collaborators. "It must be a very short list," our hero remarks. He is aided and abetted by a beautiful Mossad agent who has her own agenda to follow. Jean Dujardin has stamped his own style on the role of the arrogant, sexist, racist, misogynistic, politically incorrect globe trotting spy Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath. The film is a blatant spoof of the'60's cycle of spy films, such as James Bond and Matt Helm, etc, and is shot in glorious retro style reminiscent of the era. Michel Hazanavicius' direction lacks subtlety and the broad humour sometimes misses its mark. However, OSS 117: Lost In Rio is low brow fun and full of in-jokes and references to classic films of the genre.
Review of OSS 117: Lost in Rio
