Doublure, La (2006)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Francis Veber

Writer:

Francis Veber (writer)

Release Date:

29 March 2006 (Belgium)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

A new comedy from the writer/director of The Closet and The Dinner Game

Plot:

A porter and a top-model have to pretend to be a couple in order to salvage a CEO's marriage.

Plot Keywords:

Porter | Fashion Show | Model | Valet | Couple

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Gad Elmaleh	...	François Pignon
Alice Taglioni	...	Elena Simonsen
Daniel Auteuil	...	Pierre Levasseur
Kristin Scott Thomas	...	Christine Levasseur
Richard Berry	...	Maître Foix
Virginie Ledoyen	...	Émilie
Dany Boon	...	Richard
Michel Jonasz	...	André Pignon
Michel Aumont	...	Le médecin
Laurent Gamelon	...	Paul
Patrick Mille	...	Pascal Bouliveau
Michèle Garcia	...	Louise Pignon
Philippe Magnan	...	Berman
Jean-Yves Chilot	...	Hervé
Irina Ninova	...	Marie

Also Known As:

The Valet (International: English title) (USA)
Boulette, La (France) (working title)
Top model nel mio letto, Una (Italy)

MPAA:

Rated PG-13 for sexual content and language.

Runtime:

France:85 min

Country:

France | Italy | Belgium

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:7 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:7 (canton of Vaud) | France:U | USA:PG-13 | Romania:A.G. | Australia:M | Portugal:M/12 | Netherlands:AL | South Korea:12

Filming Locations:

Boulogne-sur-Seine, Hauts-de-Seine, France

Company:

Gaumont

Trivia:

Near the end, the father of François Pignon tells him that he is invited to a dinner to talk about his corkscrews collection. This is a reference to another Francis Veber movie, Dîner de cons, Le (1998), in which a likable idiot (also called François Pignon) is invited to a dinner on the pretext of talking about his match constructions.

Goofs:

Continuity: Both Francois and Emilie purposely avoid going to Luigi's for lunch, but run into each other at another restaurant. However, in the next scene, Elena asks Francois "Did I upset the girl at Luigi's?"

Movie Connections:

References Racing Stripes (2005)

Soundtrack:

No particular place to go

Frence Farce Fantastically Funny

Dany Boon (Joyeux Noël) got a César nomination for supporting actor as the best friend of a really lucky guy.

Daniel Auteuil (Caché, Girl on the Bridge) is hilarious as the billionaire caught with his supermodel mistress, France's Actress of the year for 2006, Alice Taglioni (The Pink Panther). François (Gad Elmaleh) just happened to be in the published picture, so they paid him to fake a relationship with Taglioni to fool Auteuil's wife, Kristin Scott Thomas (Four Weddings and a Funeral, The English Patient, Gosford Park). She's no dummy, knows he's lying, and that's when the fun really begins.

Of course, our man François is really in love with Émilie (Virginie Ledoyen - 8 Women, Saint Ange).

It is all good fun and credit for that is not only due to a fine cast, but to writer/director Francis Veber (La Cage aux folles), who put together some great lines and a funny situation.

Please do not let them make a stupid American remake. It won't possibly be as good as the French version.