Podium (2004)

Director:

Yann Moix

Writers:

Olivier Dazat (writer)
Yann Moix (novel)

Release Date:

11 February 2004 (Belgium)

Genre:

Comedy | Music | Sport

Tagline:

Name: Bernard Frédéric. Job: Claude François.

Plot:

Bernand Fréderic is a mediocre bank executive, married and with a son. He used to have antother profession: to be French star Claude Francois...

Plot Keywords:

Song | Bathtub | Double | Flashback | Love Song

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Benoît Poelvoorde	...	Bernard Frédéric
Jean-Paul Rouve	...	Couscous
Julie Depardieu	...	Véro
Marie Guillard	...	Vanessa
Anne Marivin	...	Anne
Odile Vuillemin	...	Odile
Nadège Beausson-Diagne	...	Nadège
Nicolas Jouxtel	...	Sébastien
Olivier Mag	...	Claude David
Evelyne Thomas	...	Herself / Elle-même
Karine Lyachenko	...	Jacqueline
Bruno Abraham-Kremer	...	Monsieur Lombard
Dominique Besnehard	...	Le psychologue
Armelle	...	Laure
Thomas Derichebourg	...	Le garçon restaurant à volonté

Runtime:

France:95 min

Country:

France | Belgium

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Switzerland:10 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:10 (canton of Vaud)

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company:

Fidélité Productions

Trivia:

Belgian actor Benoît Poelvoorde (playing Bernard) suffered from allergies caused by the glue that held his wig during the production of this movie. It is reported that the allergies were so severe that part of his face turned purple.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Jean-Philippe (2006)

Soundtrack:

Cette année-là

Poelvoorde may be the funniest man on earth

I first saw "C'est arrivé près de chez-vous"(Man bites dog) about ten years ago and I was amazed by the whole thing.The darkest humor ever,sick violent scenes,and of course,the Man himself.Poelvoorde plays a violent maniac but he's funny and charismatic at the same time.Fast forward to 2005:I realised there was a new movie with that guy that I've never seen in another film.I didn't know that much about Claude Francois,but I had to see Poelvoorde in another role.Here he plays Bernard Frédéric,an ex-imitator of Cloclo.He stopped his "career" in show-business when his wife,Véro, gave an ultimatum.So now he has a boring job,9 to 5, a son, a "normal" life. But when he learns that there is an imitator contest on prime time TV,his passion takes over.So many funny scenes in this movie! The auditions of his "Clodettes"(he's so rude with them ,can't watch it without laughing)the psycho-therapist,the introduction of his partner Couscous,the sex scene in which he changes his love tempo depending what Claude song he has in mind,...Add to this a great soundtrack, dancing, beautiful women in there Clodettes suit, a happy ending and you have 90 minutes of pure joy.I can't wait to see the long version.