see this one! THE VALET is hilarious! I haven't laughed so loudly and enjoyed a French farce so much since LA CAGE AUX FOLLES in 1980. No doubt there will be a terrible USA remake (hello Nicholas Cage, Nic, pick up the phone, it's Disney remakes on the line) which will blunt the silliness and sharpness of this Gallic comedy. Another comment on this site said it is a sure successor to Billy Wilder comedies and that is probably as close to the mark, generating the audience goodwill before they buy at ticket. And you should too; THE VALET like Wilder's ONE TWO THREE or KISS ME STUPID, is intelligent ridiculousness, all glossy with flowers and puzzled faces, retorts and door slamming, bumbling and embarrassments. If Blake Edwards was still making films this would his perfect project as a remake in the US; sadly I expect it to be handled by some MTV hack who will turn it into gravy with a few punches. But, see it first as THE VALET. Laugh. What a delight to see Kristin Scott-Thomas too. What a sly role for her. Yum.
42 Reviews
Funny Funny Movie
sidunrau7 June 2007
This film is hilarious. The set up is a bit unbelievable, but the actors make it work - and mostly believably. The model in the film is refreshingly genuinely nice and not a caricature of a "supermodel." The depth of the main unwitting character, the valet himself, is a bit lacking - but hey, he is charming, as is the rest of the cast. Besides, since he is lovesick, perhaps his lack of depth is at least understandable. The feel of the movie is also quite uplifting - the bad guy loses in the end, and the good guys win. The ride is just fun, and filled with twists and turns, most of which the audience gets to be in on. The only character that was TOO shallow was the valet's girlfriend - she just didn't seem to be worth all the fuss, to me. I don't understand the PG-13 rating - it is not vulgar nor is there any nudity.
Frence Farce Fantastically Funny
lastliberal9 April 2008
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.
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.
Sweet and Funny
RussyPelican31 October 2007
I really enjoyed The Valet. It's a sweet little film that had me grinning the whole way through. My smiles were only interrupted now and then by bursts of laughter.
Gad Elmaleh plays a valet who through pure chance is photographed with a billionaire (the always wonderful Daniel Auteuil) and his mistress, a famous supermodel. When the photo turns up in the tabloids the billionaire must convince his wife that the supermodel is really with the valet, so he gets them to live together while his wife has them shadowed by private investigators. The plan backfires on the billionaire when he finds himself consumed with jealousy at the thought of his mistress spending the night with another man, so he also sends private investigators to watch them. Meanwhile the Valet has romantic problems of his own that are complicated by the fact that all of a sudden he finds himself shacking up with the most beautiful woman in France. It's a cute and funny little romantic comedy.
Gad Elmaleh plays a valet who through pure chance is photographed with a billionaire (the always wonderful Daniel Auteuil) and his mistress, a famous supermodel. When the photo turns up in the tabloids the billionaire must convince his wife that the supermodel is really with the valet, so he gets them to live together while his wife has them shadowed by private investigators. The plan backfires on the billionaire when he finds himself consumed with jealousy at the thought of his mistress spending the night with another man, so he also sends private investigators to watch them. Meanwhile the Valet has romantic problems of his own that are complicated by the fact that all of a sudden he finds himself shacking up with the most beautiful woman in France. It's a cute and funny little romantic comedy.
Pleasantly Surprised
MooVBoy29 January 2008
I'm 50/50 on foreign films as subtitles often give me tired-head. Having said that, this film is surprisingly witty, well-paced and in the spirit of La Cage Aux Folles or Victor/Victoria - without musical numbers.
If you've seen and enjoyed the original or foreign versions of The Monster, Night on Earth or the aforementioned La Cage Aux Folles or Victor/Victoria you shouldn't be disappointed. Like most recent releases it's long on closeups and two-shots yet lacks intimacy - which is OK for comedies of the ilk. And in the final analysis, the spirit of wacky comedy is clearly presented in a way that only the French conceive.
While not the pinnacle of Veber's cinematic achievements, it's certainly no bust. By comparison, the American master of this genre, Blake Edwards, has had his fair share of hits and misses and I could easily see him directing the American version.
In a nutshell, it's a nice little date rental - cute romance with a touch of culture and a lot of humor.
If you've seen and enjoyed the original or foreign versions of The Monster, Night on Earth or the aforementioned La Cage Aux Folles or Victor/Victoria you shouldn't be disappointed. Like most recent releases it's long on closeups and two-shots yet lacks intimacy - which is OK for comedies of the ilk. And in the final analysis, the spirit of wacky comedy is clearly presented in a way that only the French conceive.
While not the pinnacle of Veber's cinematic achievements, it's certainly no bust. By comparison, the American master of this genre, Blake Edwards, has had his fair share of hits and misses and I could easily see him directing the American version.
In a nutshell, it's a nice little date rental - cute romance with a touch of culture and a lot of humor.
Good comedy
loolbender5 April 2006
To avoid telling his wife he's been taken in picture with his top-model of a lover, a billionaire makes everyone (especially the press) think that she lives with an average guy. This guy, the classic Francois Pignon (Gad Elmaleh), is a very limited and naive valet who doesn't understand why he gets paid to live with a model.
Although the plot is totally unbelievable, the main actors (except for Daniel Auteuil) are really supporting it. And once again, Francis Veber extremely well defined the main character.
It would have been too easy,in my opinion, to make Francois Pignon and Elena fall in love for each other, and the director avoided this trap by adding another women in the story.
Although the plot is totally unbelievable, the main actors (except for Daniel Auteuil) are really supporting it. And once again, Francis Veber extremely well defined the main character.
It would have been too easy,in my opinion, to make Francois Pignon and Elena fall in love for each other, and the director avoided this trap by adding another women in the story.
It was cute. It was fun. It was totally improbable. We enjoyed it.
lepoisson-110 January 2010
As others have said on the messages boards (and I won't refer to them to avoid spoilers), there were a lot of plot problems in this movie, but it didn't matter. The basic premise is absurd: an important CEO, photographed with a young supermodel, tries to convince his wife that the supermodel is really dating the commoner (who works as a valet) who just happened to be walking past when the picture was taken. The CEO pays the valet to pose as the supermodel's boyfriend, the wife doesn't buy it, and things progress from there. The valet is a nice guy who is down and out, but doing the best he can with what he was given; the CEO is a bad guy: in an American movie, you could guess the outcome, but this is a French movie, so you're on your own!
On a side note, Francis Veber also wrote and directed Le dîner de cons, which we found very disappointing after enjoying La Doublure.
On a side note, Francis Veber also wrote and directed Le dîner de cons, which we found very disappointing after enjoying La Doublure.
Routine French farce
Chris Knipp9 February 2007
This film, entitled "La Doublure" or "the stand-in" in French but retitled The Valet in English, was produced by old line French studio Gaumont. Veber is the mainstay of conventional French screen comedy. He wrote the Cage aux Folles screenplays and directed The Dinner Game/Le Dîner de cons and The Closet/Le placard (the latter starring Daniel Auteuil and Gérard Depardieu) and lot of others. The only trouble is, Veber has done so many of these things now their action is routine-ized. You can see the jokes coming well ahead, especially the visual ones. And some of the jokes are so clunky. A doctor who has to be treated by his patientscome on! Is that really funny enough to carry on to scene after scene? This time Veber's every-guy character François Pignon (here Gad Elmaleh) gets pulled into a scheme by megabucks CEO Levasseur (Auteuil) to extricate himself from charges that he's been cheating on his wife Christine (Kristin Scott Thomas) with his mistress of two years, "top-model" Elena (Alice Taglioni), which obviously he indeed has. A paparazzo has snapped Levasseur in a compromising scene squabbling with the beauty, but Pignon was walking by and his face is also in the background of the tabloid picture. If Levasseur can make it look like Pignon is the boyfriend (don't look into that too closely) he's in the clear.
Pignon has just been shot down after proposing to his childhood sweetheart Emilie (Virginie Ledoyen). His roommate and fellow parking valet (voiturier) at a posh restaurant, Richard (Dany Boon), has just moved out. His girlfriend is 32,000+ Euros in debt at the bookstore she's recently opened. Levasseur talks Elena into moving in with Pignon and pretending to be his girlfriend for the paparazzi to get himself off the hook. Pignon is asking only the 32,000+ Euroes as payment, but Elena has been promised a whopping 20 million Euro guarantee that when this is over, Levasseur will eventually marry her. If Christine were to divorce Levasseur she could take 60% of his company's stock with her. He doesn't really want that. His trouble is he doesn't really want to give up Elena either. He wants his dough, he wants his company, he wants his wife, and he wants his mistress. He's a pretty greedy guy. A snag is Christine has detectives carefully sussing all this out. He hasn't really fooled anybody, except a few paparazzi, who could care less.
Veber uses glitz to liven things up and moderates that diet with niceness. As in Hollywood, moral virtue wins out against the ravages of raw capitalism and somewhat against everyday experience. Of course bad guys do get caught, but not as easily as this. The fancy cars the valets get to drive dazzle us just as does the top-model's beauty (and a Chanel-Lagerfeld runway show happens with the elegantly cadaverous Lagerfeld himself on hand). Kirsten Scott Thomas adds impeccable class to her minor role as the wronged but unflappable wife.
If these were all poor people none of this would happen. This is a case of Money Makes Funny.
The joke-message is money doesn't really matter (I guess). Elena would rather ditch Levasseur than get his 20-million-Euro bribe. She actually likes Pignon he's a decent fellow and he's got those big bright eyes and she gradually builds up his ego while getting a lesson in decency from him, in case she needs one. (One would think she would, but that isn't gone into.) Pignon's girlfriend Emilie relents and accepts his hand and in this process Elena becomes a sort of fashion star fairy godmother.
Veber doesn't engineer a splashy finale. Things end not with a bang but a whimper Pignon telling Levasseur off and leaving him on a lonely road in his car.
Richard Berry as Maître Foix, Levasseur's lawyer who arranges all the "stand-in" business, gives one of the film's juiciest performances, with all-black outfits and tight close-ups to highlight his efficient, plummily amoral manner. It's a nice moment when he asks Levasseur "May I speak to you as a friend?" and Levasseur quickly replies, "No." Auteuil, with his polished lack of affect, is perfect for his role.
This isn't as ingenious as The Closet or The Dinner Game (and other earlier Veber comedies) and maybe that's why we can see the wheels turning so clearly. It's entertaining but lacks wit. There is a great French tradition here but it lies in shreds and tatters. The timing is good (if obvious) and the acting is polished and, where it has room to be, appealing. But this is like doing a crossword puzzle. When it's over, you're done with it forever.
Pignon has just been shot down after proposing to his childhood sweetheart Emilie (Virginie Ledoyen). His roommate and fellow parking valet (voiturier) at a posh restaurant, Richard (Dany Boon), has just moved out. His girlfriend is 32,000+ Euros in debt at the bookstore she's recently opened. Levasseur talks Elena into moving in with Pignon and pretending to be his girlfriend for the paparazzi to get himself off the hook. Pignon is asking only the 32,000+ Euroes as payment, but Elena has been promised a whopping 20 million Euro guarantee that when this is over, Levasseur will eventually marry her. If Christine were to divorce Levasseur she could take 60% of his company's stock with her. He doesn't really want that. His trouble is he doesn't really want to give up Elena either. He wants his dough, he wants his company, he wants his wife, and he wants his mistress. He's a pretty greedy guy. A snag is Christine has detectives carefully sussing all this out. He hasn't really fooled anybody, except a few paparazzi, who could care less.
Veber uses glitz to liven things up and moderates that diet with niceness. As in Hollywood, moral virtue wins out against the ravages of raw capitalism and somewhat against everyday experience. Of course bad guys do get caught, but not as easily as this. The fancy cars the valets get to drive dazzle us just as does the top-model's beauty (and a Chanel-Lagerfeld runway show happens with the elegantly cadaverous Lagerfeld himself on hand). Kirsten Scott Thomas adds impeccable class to her minor role as the wronged but unflappable wife.
If these were all poor people none of this would happen. This is a case of Money Makes Funny.
The joke-message is money doesn't really matter (I guess). Elena would rather ditch Levasseur than get his 20-million-Euro bribe. She actually likes Pignon he's a decent fellow and he's got those big bright eyes and she gradually builds up his ego while getting a lesson in decency from him, in case she needs one. (One would think she would, but that isn't gone into.) Pignon's girlfriend Emilie relents and accepts his hand and in this process Elena becomes a sort of fashion star fairy godmother.
Veber doesn't engineer a splashy finale. Things end not with a bang but a whimper Pignon telling Levasseur off and leaving him on a lonely road in his car.
Richard Berry as Maître Foix, Levasseur's lawyer who arranges all the "stand-in" business, gives one of the film's juiciest performances, with all-black outfits and tight close-ups to highlight his efficient, plummily amoral manner. It's a nice moment when he asks Levasseur "May I speak to you as a friend?" and Levasseur quickly replies, "No." Auteuil, with his polished lack of affect, is perfect for his role.
This isn't as ingenious as The Closet or The Dinner Game (and other earlier Veber comedies) and maybe that's why we can see the wheels turning so clearly. It's entertaining but lacks wit. There is a great French tradition here but it lies in shreds and tatters. The timing is good (if obvious) and the acting is polished and, where it has room to be, appealing. But this is like doing a crossword puzzle. When it's over, you're done with it forever.
A wonderful romp.
nylensky24 May 2007
Since the general plot, etc., is pretty well discussed here, I won't bore you with the details.
This movie needs to be viewed for the love of it...not to be dissected and intellectualized.
This movie is simply a playful romp. AS Daniel Autille, one of my favorite French actors, gets deeper and deeper into his rouse he gets more and more desperate. His comedic turn is a delight to watch and proves his versatility. His last movie was the incredible "Cache".
Some of the set-ups are wonderful...who cares if some have been done before...and some are fresh and all are done with glee and panache. In fact all of the actors seem to be having fun.
One great aspect of this movie is that there is character development ... several characters are forever changed, for the better, by the end of the movie.
I have no qualms about recommending this movie to friends and film buffs alike. Just go and enjoy.
I hope some Hollywood type doesn't make an American botch job of this one.
This movie needs to be viewed for the love of it...not to be dissected and intellectualized.
This movie is simply a playful romp. AS Daniel Autille, one of my favorite French actors, gets deeper and deeper into his rouse he gets more and more desperate. His comedic turn is a delight to watch and proves his versatility. His last movie was the incredible "Cache".
Some of the set-ups are wonderful...who cares if some have been done before...and some are fresh and all are done with glee and panache. In fact all of the actors seem to be having fun.
One great aspect of this movie is that there is character development ... several characters are forever changed, for the better, by the end of the movie.
I have no qualms about recommending this movie to friends and film buffs alike. Just go and enjoy.
I hope some Hollywood type doesn't make an American botch job of this one.
Not Veber's best, but still not bad
tnrcooper3 June 2007
This movie, by the maker of The Dinner Game, La Cage Aux Folles, and some other fantastic comedies is a well-executed film, if one can swallow some, at least for me, unreasonable premises. The story is that a very wealthy business mogul (Daniel Auteuil, perhaps a bit too manic as Pierre Lavasseur) has been caught by his wife (Kristin Scott Thomas very capably playing a very capable co-CEO named Christine) allegedly, or what is (rightly) believed to be, a clutch, with a famous supermodel named Elena (the charming Alice Taglioni). An unlikely figure, a humble valet named François (the charismatic Gad Elmaleh), is caught in the picture, which is plastered across tabloid newspaper front pages. Pierre's only hope, and to me, the weak point of the premise, is that François is the man with whom supermodel Elena is involved. Pierre tracks François down and convinces him via a small (which is all François wants in order to purchase something for his true love, the down-to-earth bookstore owner named Emile (an unfleshed out part performed well by Virginie Ledoyen)) gift to live with Elena as though they were a couple. This leads to one of many attempts at surveillance from both Pierre and Christine as both attempt identify whether Pierre was involved with the supermodel. However, and while the essence of relationships for Elena is the same as that for Pierre, it seems completely ridiculous that Christine would even consider taking Pierre at his word, that indeed the supermodel was dating this humble and plain valet, and not the media mogul. So weak does this point seem, that to me, it halts my suspension of disbelief which precludes me from believing that the basic premise of this film could be plausible. That said, if you can accept this premise, I think you will enjoy the film. Veteran and very talented director Francis Veber has been a fantastic director with a great appreciation of the nuances of human relations and the director of other excellent comedies like "The Dinner Game" (1998), "La Cage Aux Folles" (1980), "The Closet" (2001) is very talented. However, I just find the underlying premises of this movie problematic. That said, the romantic dynamics are fascinating and addressed thoughtfully. The film is the work of a pro, one premise aside. I found it to be much less satisfying given the implausibility of the idea that Elena would date François.
An immense disappointment
Balthazar-523 April 2015
At a time when French cinema is at, IMHO, its lowest ebb, with not a single great auteur in sight, I had come to rely on Francis Veber to provide excellence in comedy if of only a not very profound type. After Three Fugitives (both versions) and Le Dîner des Cons (to name just two) his films seemed to be heading into Blake Edwards territory.
But, oh my word!, what a catastrophe is this grotesque. The central character drifts through a series of 'adventures' involving an unpleasant millionaire (Daniel Auteuil) who is cheating on his wife (the fabulous Kristin Scott Thomas) with a model.
The whole thing is flat as a pancake, probably due to the casting of Gad Elmaleh - French cinema's most over-rated actor. This numb-skull drifts through promising scenes but doesn't give what is needed to bring them alive.
This is all the more troubling as, given he is playing the same character (or at least the character with the same name) as the central character in Le Dîner des Cons, François Pignon, One imagines what the magnificent Jacques Villeret could have done in the same rôle, had he not died just before the film went into production.
But, oh my word!, what a catastrophe is this grotesque. The central character drifts through a series of 'adventures' involving an unpleasant millionaire (Daniel Auteuil) who is cheating on his wife (the fabulous Kristin Scott Thomas) with a model.
The whole thing is flat as a pancake, probably due to the casting of Gad Elmaleh - French cinema's most over-rated actor. This numb-skull drifts through promising scenes but doesn't give what is needed to bring them alive.
This is all the more troubling as, given he is playing the same character (or at least the character with the same name) as the central character in Le Dîner des Cons, François Pignon, One imagines what the magnificent Jacques Villeret could have done in the same rôle, had he not died just before the film went into production.
5 Festival De Cine Franco-Mexicano: La Doublure (2006)
RainDogJr12 November 2007
Warning: Spoilers
Parrallel to La Muestra International De Cine, the last Thursday starts this little festival of french films in Mexico City, i say little because is only one week and only in one cinema. But i found this very good just for the chance to see different films and also because the cast and crew of most of the films (there are 12 films in total) came to Mexico City.
Yesterday i have the chance to see this film, the first that i see of this festival and i like it. Is a simple and nice comedy about Pignon, a man who is offered to live with a top model ( an offer that nobody can't refuse) just for save the marriage of a millionaire who is the lover of the top model.
Maybe the plot is not great and is not very real, i mean i don't think that a supermodel is like the one of the film, but the film carry out with the principal and unique point: entertain.
I mean i really laugh a lot, especially in the beginning when Pignon is still living with his friend and the relation between Pignon's father and his doctor is nothing but hilarious.
So i really recommend this film if you want to see just a nice comedy.
Well after watch one film of this festival and other of La Muestra International De Cine ( the two festivals right now in Mexico City), i have more desires of watch another of this festival.
Yesterday i have the chance to see this film, the first that i see of this festival and i like it. Is a simple and nice comedy about Pignon, a man who is offered to live with a top model ( an offer that nobody can't refuse) just for save the marriage of a millionaire who is the lover of the top model.
Maybe the plot is not great and is not very real, i mean i don't think that a supermodel is like the one of the film, but the film carry out with the principal and unique point: entertain.
I mean i really laugh a lot, especially in the beginning when Pignon is still living with his friend and the relation between Pignon's father and his doctor is nothing but hilarious.
So i really recommend this film if you want to see just a nice comedy.
Well after watch one film of this festival and other of La Muestra International De Cine ( the two festivals right now in Mexico City), i have more desires of watch another of this festival.
Solid work from Verber and his ensemble, even if it's not him at his height
IonicBreezeMachine14 May 2022
Francois Pignon (Gad Elmaleh) is a cash strapped parking valet who lives in a studio apartment with his friend and fellow valet Richard (Dany Boon). Following Francois' proposal being rejected by his crush Emilie (Virginie Leodyen), Francois inadvertently ends up in a photo with unscrupulous and unfaithful CEO Pierre Levasseur (Daniel Auteuil) and his supermodel mistress Elena Simonsen (Alice Taglioni) whom he repeatedly promises to leave his wife, Christine (Kristin Scott Thomas), for. When the phot of Pierre and Elena appears in the tabloids and catches the attention of Christine, Pierre makes an excuse that it is actually the blurred out man with whom Elena is having an affair. Seeking to avoid a messy and expensive divorce from his wife who owns the majority in his companies, Pierre has his lwayer, Foix (Richard Berry), track down and approach Francois and make a deal with him to live with Elena and pretend they are a couple which causes complications in Francois' life and misunderstandings aplenty.
2006's The Valet is at the time of the writing the final major release to be directed by noted French comedy staple Francis Verber (aside from a 2008 re-adaptation of Verber's "A Pain in the Ass" which appears to have not done well). The film features Verber's signature style and tropes and sees him reunite with a number of prior actors and comedians he worked with resulting in a comedy that doesn't have the scathing bites of Verber's work like The Closet or The Dinner Game, but is an agreeable light hearted farce with a protagonist you root for.
The centerpiece of the movie is unquestionably Gad Elmaneh who makes a likable underdog protagonist who's about as good natured and simple of a man as you can get. By happenstance Elmaneh's Francois just wanders into an elaborate farce involving spiteful rich and their extramarital affairs and when given the opportunity for any price he only asks for enough money to clear Emilie's debts on her bookstore. The relationship between Francois and supermodel Elena is quite sweet with Francois all too aware of the ridiculousness of the situation and treeting Elena more as a friend than a sex object as Elena is often all too used to. There's a very sweet friendship that arises from Francois and Elena's time together in the farce and it makes for a likable and lighthearted dynamic that's easy to root for. The supporting cast all have solid work with Daniel Auteuil having fun as a despicable and duplicitous billionaire who's riddle with a bad temper, jealousy and insecurity despite having as much power and money as he does and the mind games played on him by his cuckolded wife Christine are delightful scenes of beautifully cruel schadenfreude that's well in line with Verber's comic stylings. Not every gag works as there's a running gag with Michel Aumont's character The Doctor where he visitis patients only to give treatment to himself that's not all that funny, nor is the subplot with Richard's alcoholic mother particularly funny, but the movie's quick pacing and energy means we never lingered on failed jokes too often.
The Valet isn't the pinnacle of Verber's comedic work, but it's very good and pleasant viewing that makes for an agreeable sit. The movie has a solid ensemble who work well together and beneath the vindictive farce is a very sweet story that you can't help but like.
2006's The Valet is at the time of the writing the final major release to be directed by noted French comedy staple Francis Verber (aside from a 2008 re-adaptation of Verber's "A Pain in the Ass" which appears to have not done well). The film features Verber's signature style and tropes and sees him reunite with a number of prior actors and comedians he worked with resulting in a comedy that doesn't have the scathing bites of Verber's work like The Closet or The Dinner Game, but is an agreeable light hearted farce with a protagonist you root for.
The centerpiece of the movie is unquestionably Gad Elmaneh who makes a likable underdog protagonist who's about as good natured and simple of a man as you can get. By happenstance Elmaneh's Francois just wanders into an elaborate farce involving spiteful rich and their extramarital affairs and when given the opportunity for any price he only asks for enough money to clear Emilie's debts on her bookstore. The relationship between Francois and supermodel Elena is quite sweet with Francois all too aware of the ridiculousness of the situation and treeting Elena more as a friend than a sex object as Elena is often all too used to. There's a very sweet friendship that arises from Francois and Elena's time together in the farce and it makes for a likable and lighthearted dynamic that's easy to root for. The supporting cast all have solid work with Daniel Auteuil having fun as a despicable and duplicitous billionaire who's riddle with a bad temper, jealousy and insecurity despite having as much power and money as he does and the mind games played on him by his cuckolded wife Christine are delightful scenes of beautifully cruel schadenfreude that's well in line with Verber's comic stylings. Not every gag works as there's a running gag with Michel Aumont's character The Doctor where he visitis patients only to give treatment to himself that's not all that funny, nor is the subplot with Richard's alcoholic mother particularly funny, but the movie's quick pacing and energy means we never lingered on failed jokes too often.
The Valet isn't the pinnacle of Verber's comedic work, but it's very good and pleasant viewing that makes for an agreeable sit. The movie has a solid ensemble who work well together and beneath the vindictive farce is a very sweet story that you can't help but like.
tired, dull sex-farce without the sex, and without much farce either
OldAle113 September 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Basically the storyline is as hackneyed as could be: wealthy exec (Daniel Auteuil) gets caught in the company of a supermodel (Alice Taglioni) who is not his wife (Kristin Scott Thomas). To avoid scandal and the possibility of divorce and losing half his fortune, Auteuil and his lawyer concoct a scheme whereby an innocent bystander (Gad Elmaleh) who happened to be very close when the incriminating pictures were snapped will be paid to pretend that Taglioni is his girlfriend and living with him. Alas this complicates life for Elmaleh, a working-class valet, in his pursuit of his own true love, a struggling book store owner played by Virginie Ledoyen. And Taglioni gets more and more angry at Auteuil for dicking her around, promising to divorce his wife but clearly not wanting to.
This plot could come out of a screwball comedy from the 30s, Three's Company, any number of French or Italian sex farces of the 60s-70s, etc. That alone isn't necessarily a problem, but when you've got a really ordinary, simple storyline you've really got to work to make it interesting -- and alas writer/director Francis Veber doesn't do anything with the material that isn't highly predictable and dull. Auteuil spends much of his time mugging or getting over-the-top angry and becomes more and more of a scumbag as the film goes on - want to guess whether he and Taglioni end up together at the end? Scott Thomas is one-note severe, calculating, nasty - it's clear from the first that she and Auteuil deserve each other. Our lowly valet manages to prove his love for his bookstore owner ideal, the supermodel turns out to be the nicest and most mature person of the whole bunch, those that deserve to be happy are, etc.
There were some nice touches here and there - the valet's father is chronically sick, but the doctor who attends him is even sicker and the father ends up attending to his physician more than the reverse; I kind of liked the jag-off cell phone salesman who is also pursuing Ledoyen, at least at first, he's so over-the-top smarmy. But mostly this was by-the-numbers rom-com, and with a PG-13 rating it doesn't even get to have any sex to speak of - very mild and lacking in juice all around. And what was with the extremely bright, overlit cinematography throughout? It's Paris, not Cannes.
At least it was short.
This plot could come out of a screwball comedy from the 30s, Three's Company, any number of French or Italian sex farces of the 60s-70s, etc. That alone isn't necessarily a problem, but when you've got a really ordinary, simple storyline you've really got to work to make it interesting -- and alas writer/director Francis Veber doesn't do anything with the material that isn't highly predictable and dull. Auteuil spends much of his time mugging or getting over-the-top angry and becomes more and more of a scumbag as the film goes on - want to guess whether he and Taglioni end up together at the end? Scott Thomas is one-note severe, calculating, nasty - it's clear from the first that she and Auteuil deserve each other. Our lowly valet manages to prove his love for his bookstore owner ideal, the supermodel turns out to be the nicest and most mature person of the whole bunch, those that deserve to be happy are, etc.
There were some nice touches here and there - the valet's father is chronically sick, but the doctor who attends him is even sicker and the father ends up attending to his physician more than the reverse; I kind of liked the jag-off cell phone salesman who is also pursuing Ledoyen, at least at first, he's so over-the-top smarmy. But mostly this was by-the-numbers rom-com, and with a PG-13 rating it doesn't even get to have any sex to speak of - very mild and lacking in juice all around. And what was with the extremely bright, overlit cinematography throughout? It's Paris, not Cannes.
At least it was short.
Updated theatre de boulevard.
dbdumonteil2 September 2006
Nothing new under the sun:wives,lovers,girlfriends,mistaken identities...But why deny yourself a good thing,an entertaining unpretentious funny little comedy?You should be wrong.
An excellent cast,male and female,gives this trite story substance.Daniel Auteuil,as the villain,a smug mean bourgeois who thinks that money can buy everything,Kristin Scott-Thomas ,as his cheated wife who threatens to ask for a divorce (and it is her who owns the dough),Alice Taglioni as the gorgeous but sensitive top model (definitely not a bimbo),Gad Elmaleh as the clumsy shy prole,Virginie Ledoyen ,one of the most promising French actresses,as a sentimental bookseller and Richard Berry as Auteuil's lawyer.
A few nods to "rear window" .And a very funny (and moral) ending.
An excellent cast,male and female,gives this trite story substance.Daniel Auteuil,as the villain,a smug mean bourgeois who thinks that money can buy everything,Kristin Scott-Thomas ,as his cheated wife who threatens to ask for a divorce (and it is her who owns the dough),Alice Taglioni as the gorgeous but sensitive top model (definitely not a bimbo),Gad Elmaleh as the clumsy shy prole,Virginie Ledoyen ,one of the most promising French actresses,as a sentimental bookseller and Richard Berry as Auteuil's lawyer.
A few nods to "rear window" .And a very funny (and moral) ending.
slight, amiable, it's French romance with a piffy sense of comedy
Quinoa198422 June 2007
Francis Veber has probably seen better days as a filmmaker- he directed the Dinner Game, much appreciated by those who've seen it, and he wrote the original La Cage Aux Foux script- but it's never a bummer to see him pour out his contrived romantic comedies. It's the kind of movie where there is not a whole lot to really praise to the heavens as being truly sharp and original wit and style with the characters and plot, but at the same time I can't think of anything that is necessarily horrible either. Like a breezy enough sitcom with pleasant enough cast members, the Valet makes its presence known early on enough (following the opening titles, which are quite impressive), and it moves along pretty quickly. Maybe too quick, possibly, as it could have more of an impact with further developed characters. The one who gets the most real investment of full dimension is the wealthy adulterous husband, played by Daniel Auteil, who previously played Francois Pignon in another Veber movie, only this time played by the average shmo-like Gad Elmaleh.
It would be a little pointless going through the big hoops in describing the plot as it is stemming from a fairly obvious, if clever-obvious, premise (the Village Voice review is basically a whole description of the review, in much more amusing respect than I could muster). But it should be noted that all of the little twists that occur without there being a whole lot to connect with the characters aside from schadenfreude with the rich guy (and his wife instigating it, played by Kristin Scott Thomas in surprising 100% French), because the ones who are the everyday folk are kept a little too simply: girl needs money for her father, but doesn't want to get involved with the man who loves her so. We're told they're kindergarten friends, but there is very little else to go on as to how Francois's connection to her could be so strong, aside for plot convenience. It's like one of those goofy and simple cooked-up scenarios, with devious and rational-minded characters in equal measure, that could pop up in a less savvy programmer that pops up on weekday mornings on Turner Classic Movies.
Which is, in an off-handed way, a slight compliment I hope. It's about as light as comedy can get, with the roughest touches of absurdity being the doctor father being treated by his own patients, a woman who's head is caught on fire while her waiter is taken by the sight of the supermodel and valet, and the very last scene, which has a comeuppance that is cheesy, but very funny, and a surprise considering the lack of transvestites in the film. I liked The Valet, but it's nothing to get worked up about to leave the house and rush to the theater to see.
It would be a little pointless going through the big hoops in describing the plot as it is stemming from a fairly obvious, if clever-obvious, premise (the Village Voice review is basically a whole description of the review, in much more amusing respect than I could muster). But it should be noted that all of the little twists that occur without there being a whole lot to connect with the characters aside from schadenfreude with the rich guy (and his wife instigating it, played by Kristin Scott Thomas in surprising 100% French), because the ones who are the everyday folk are kept a little too simply: girl needs money for her father, but doesn't want to get involved with the man who loves her so. We're told they're kindergarten friends, but there is very little else to go on as to how Francois's connection to her could be so strong, aside for plot convenience. It's like one of those goofy and simple cooked-up scenarios, with devious and rational-minded characters in equal measure, that could pop up in a less savvy programmer that pops up on weekday mornings on Turner Classic Movies.
Which is, in an off-handed way, a slight compliment I hope. It's about as light as comedy can get, with the roughest touches of absurdity being the doctor father being treated by his own patients, a woman who's head is caught on fire while her waiter is taken by the sight of the supermodel and valet, and the very last scene, which has a comeuppance that is cheesy, but very funny, and a surprise considering the lack of transvestites in the film. I liked The Valet, but it's nothing to get worked up about to leave the house and rush to the theater to see.
Who's My Girl?
Rindiana2 February 2011
Not quite as hilarious as earlier Veber concoctions, but as funny as modern-day bedroom farces may get nowadays. The French are masters at that type of comedy.
The actors do their best with their paper-thin, but likable characters, some scenes work wonderfully, others feel too forced, but the good-natured proceedings ensure pleasurable viewing.
A certain snappiness would've given the material's fluffiness the necessary edge.
Still watchable, though the final joke's too silly.
6 out of 10 unlikely playboys
The actors do their best with their paper-thin, but likable characters, some scenes work wonderfully, others feel too forced, but the good-natured proceedings ensure pleasurable viewing.
A certain snappiness would've given the material's fluffiness the necessary edge.
Still watchable, though the final joke's too silly.
6 out of 10 unlikely playboys
Vive l'argent
pefrss5 June 2007
I absolutely adored "Le Closet" and when I saw another movie advertised by Veber, I drove all across town to watch la Doublure . I was a little bit disappointed. I am not quite sure if it was because the story did not ring true, Auteuil overacted or the film had more an American feel to it than a French one. As I speak French it could not have been the translation. Maybe I expected a French film to be more about l'amour than l'argent. But I suppose when we deal with billionaires and supermodels it is mainly about money. Maybe some of the situations were too far fetched.
I still enjoyed the movie and laughed often, but I just did not think it so hilarious than Veber's other comedies.
I still enjoyed the movie and laughed often, but I just did not think it so hilarious than Veber's other comedies.
Nice Curtains
ferguson-68 May 2007
Greetings again from the darkness. A French farce minus any real farce ... also known as nothing new. Most of the characters are a bit boring and certainly offer little for the audience to care about, I will say the premise is promising, though unfulfilled.
Gad Elmaheh as Francois is in love with book store proprietor Virginie Ledoyen, but she thinks of him as only a friend. Billionaire Daniel Auteuil is married to a very clever Kristin Scott Thomas, but is in serious lust for supermodel Elena, played by a very beautiful and charismatic Alice Taglioni. Dany Boon is the oafish friend of Francois who is dumbfounded by his friend's luck at the turn of events which lead to Francois shacking up with Elena.
The stage is set for a classic French comedy, but instead the film falls flat as pretty much nothing really happens and the viewer is left to ponder why writer/director Francis Veber didn't expend a bit more effort on the script in order to elicit a few more laughs. Not that it's awful ... just a disappointment in what is usually one of film's more dependable genres.
Gad Elmaheh as Francois is in love with book store proprietor Virginie Ledoyen, but she thinks of him as only a friend. Billionaire Daniel Auteuil is married to a very clever Kristin Scott Thomas, but is in serious lust for supermodel Elena, played by a very beautiful and charismatic Alice Taglioni. Dany Boon is the oafish friend of Francois who is dumbfounded by his friend's luck at the turn of events which lead to Francois shacking up with Elena.
The stage is set for a classic French comedy, but instead the film falls flat as pretty much nothing really happens and the viewer is left to ponder why writer/director Francis Veber didn't expend a bit more effort on the script in order to elicit a few more laughs. Not that it's awful ... just a disappointment in what is usually one of film's more dependable genres.
Veber has done it again
trevormerrill7 April 2006
This laugh out loud comedy also has a lot of heart. Fans of The Dinner Game, The Closet, and Veber's other classic comedies can expect more of the same--a fall guy named Pignon, a hilarious case of mistaken identity, some touching moments of friendship, and a lot of shameless farce a la Moliere. But La Doublure offers a few new twists on the familiar Veber formula, including some fine satire of the fashion scene and a powerful commentary on the power of appearance and reputation to shape our desires. Some may say it's "just" entertainment--but like his great predecessors in the tradition of French farce and popular theater, Veber packs a lot of punch. This movie not only pleases, it also proves instructive about friendship, love, and the perils of becoming really rich. It's the director's best film to date and features great performances by Auteuil, Scott Thomas, and the rest of the star-studded cast.
fun but occasionally strained romp
Buddy-5129 June 2008
The featherweight French comedy, "The Valet," hearkens back to those more halcyon days when frenetic pacing and farcical misunderstandings often made for comic gold. And while "The Valet" may not be exactly golden (it's barely gold-plated, if you want to know the absolute truth), it's still a moderately diverting trifle - provided you don't ask more of it than it can reasonably deliver, that is.
The protagonist is Francois Pignon (Gad Elmaleh), a struggling, average-looking chap, who works as a parking valet at a high-end restaurant located right across the street from the Eiffel Tower. Francois' simple life is turned upside down when, through a fluke of fate, he is hired to play the lover of a French supermodel (Alice Taglioni) whose long-running affair with a married billionaire CEO (Daniel Auteuil) has recently come to light in the Paris tabloids. This leads to a great deal of complications for all involved, including Francois' pretty young love interest (Virginie Ledoyen) who, unfortunately, has not been let in on the ruse.
For all its undeniable Gallic charms, "The Valet," written and directed by Francis Veber, is probably funnier in concept than it is in execution. It delivers its two best jokes right upfront - a wonderfully inventive visual gag that introduces the main character, and a clever routine about a doctor who is more sick than his patients - but that's all within the first ten minutes, and the movie never reaches those comic heights again. Still, if you're partial to a sitcom-level scenario in which people run around from one contrived set-up and telegraphed sight-gag to the next - all against colorful Parisienne backdrops - then this might well be the movie for you. If not, you might want to skip it altogether and seek out something more to your liking.
The protagonist is Francois Pignon (Gad Elmaleh), a struggling, average-looking chap, who works as a parking valet at a high-end restaurant located right across the street from the Eiffel Tower. Francois' simple life is turned upside down when, through a fluke of fate, he is hired to play the lover of a French supermodel (Alice Taglioni) whose long-running affair with a married billionaire CEO (Daniel Auteuil) has recently come to light in the Paris tabloids. This leads to a great deal of complications for all involved, including Francois' pretty young love interest (Virginie Ledoyen) who, unfortunately, has not been let in on the ruse.
For all its undeniable Gallic charms, "The Valet," written and directed by Francis Veber, is probably funnier in concept than it is in execution. It delivers its two best jokes right upfront - a wonderfully inventive visual gag that introduces the main character, and a clever routine about a doctor who is more sick than his patients - but that's all within the first ten minutes, and the movie never reaches those comic heights again. Still, if you're partial to a sitcom-level scenario in which people run around from one contrived set-up and telegraphed sight-gag to the next - all against colorful Parisienne backdrops - then this might well be the movie for you. If not, you might want to skip it altogether and seek out something more to your liking.
Where was Julia Roberts and Richard Gere?
Klickberg22 May 2007
Part of the joy of sitting down to watch a Francis Veber comedy is that you know that you're about to experience something smart and refreshing to this stultified genre. Veber, after all, is a veritable master of the screwball and romantic comedy, having birthed such modern gems as the original BIRD CAGE, THE TOY, THE DINNER GAME, and THE CLOSET (amongst many others that were sometimes even able to make the transition to American adaptation).
Surprisingly, THE VALET is no such masterwork. What makes this such a surprising development is that THE CLOSET came out only a few years ago, and it can be considered one of Veber's most clever works to date. So why did he go from clever to crap? Who knows.
The real trouble with THE VALET is that it lacks ALL of Veber's classic conventions -- his smarts, his ability to construct realistic characters dealing with absurd situations, and his canny ability to use wordplay in a manner rare to current screwball/romantic comedies (in France, America, or anywhere else). He's also FANTASTIC at comedic development, in really building up the various circumstances that snowball into a torrential storm of humor.
THE VALET, however, played as yet another string in the long ball of yarn that is the rapidly dwindling comedy genre. It felt, well... American. I really was waiting for Julia Roberts or Richard Gere to pop in, or perhaps Rob Schneider would make a clumsy entry, tip his hat, and vacate immediately.
The story was dull at best, the characters were entirely unrealistic, and there was nothing clever about the execution of the paper-thin plot. The worst part of all is that the dynamics of the characters and story never worked or felt truthful. Everything was completely ham-fisted and forced; where was the grace we see in Veber's previous entries? Without giving too much away, let's just say that many a time, you're wondering: "Gee, why would ANYBODY like that annoying, obnoxious, selfish pig of an executive, especially his own rather good-looking wife and a supermodel... who, of course, has an indefatigable heart of gold?" It just didn't make sense, and there were many moments throughout in which you ask yourself similar questions (eg, "Why would he be so obsessed with this mean, callous young woman who obviously cares little about him?").
By the end of the movie, everyone is pretty much on the same side, as they try to battle it out with the Donald Trump-esquire antagonist character. You pretty much know where it's going all along, and the ending comes quite abruptly with little resolution outside of, "And that's the end of THAT chapter." Oh, well. Even Homer sleeps, I suppose.
Surprisingly, THE VALET is no such masterwork. What makes this such a surprising development is that THE CLOSET came out only a few years ago, and it can be considered one of Veber's most clever works to date. So why did he go from clever to crap? Who knows.
The real trouble with THE VALET is that it lacks ALL of Veber's classic conventions -- his smarts, his ability to construct realistic characters dealing with absurd situations, and his canny ability to use wordplay in a manner rare to current screwball/romantic comedies (in France, America, or anywhere else). He's also FANTASTIC at comedic development, in really building up the various circumstances that snowball into a torrential storm of humor.
THE VALET, however, played as yet another string in the long ball of yarn that is the rapidly dwindling comedy genre. It felt, well... American. I really was waiting for Julia Roberts or Richard Gere to pop in, or perhaps Rob Schneider would make a clumsy entry, tip his hat, and vacate immediately.
The story was dull at best, the characters were entirely unrealistic, and there was nothing clever about the execution of the paper-thin plot. The worst part of all is that the dynamics of the characters and story never worked or felt truthful. Everything was completely ham-fisted and forced; where was the grace we see in Veber's previous entries? Without giving too much away, let's just say that many a time, you're wondering: "Gee, why would ANYBODY like that annoying, obnoxious, selfish pig of an executive, especially his own rather good-looking wife and a supermodel... who, of course, has an indefatigable heart of gold?" It just didn't make sense, and there were many moments throughout in which you ask yourself similar questions (eg, "Why would he be so obsessed with this mean, callous young woman who obviously cares little about him?").
By the end of the movie, everyone is pretty much on the same side, as they try to battle it out with the Donald Trump-esquire antagonist character. You pretty much know where it's going all along, and the ending comes quite abruptly with little resolution outside of, "And that's the end of THAT chapter." Oh, well. Even Homer sleeps, I suppose.
A wonderful French farce!
adeej14 July 2006
Warning: Spoilers
Continuing on in fine form from the wonderful film 'The Closet', Veber has created a film that is wonderful for those who need to see the lighter side of life. Although the situation shown in the film is perhaps not very realistic, the excellent timing and wonderful lines in the film made me laugh regularly throughout. On the negative side, I would have liked a few more aspects of the film to have been developed further - for example, further examination of the problems the company was facing, together with further examination of the marriage relationship between the CEO and his wife. The acting was great. In particular, I enjoyed Kristin Scott Thomas's portrayal of the suspicious wife. The supermodel was also very beautiful and certainly a pleasant sight to examine for any red-blooded male! This film would be great to take your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife out to for a special date. A highly recommended comedy.
great, but with no heart
RforRamon5 June 2009
This is a very good movie, not a masterpiece, but a very good one, even if, unfortunately, it's spoiled. I own the DVD, and every time I looked at it, I felt somehow unsatisfied, in the end, and I couldn't understand why, until finally I realized: this movie lacks a heart. It's cold, a perfect mechanism, but with no heart. It's been so carefully written and played, but the passion is not there. There's no real human being in there, only puppets without soul. And that's a real shame, because everything else works, in a way. The idea is good (altho not very believable), Paris looks marvelous, the gags are funny, and the choice of actors is great. But the final result is cold, self-centered, in a very modern-french-movie way. I would definitely suggest it for renting (at least it'll make you feel like you're living in Paris), but not to buy. One final note about Alice Taglioni: she's a unique example of an incredibly beautiful woman who can be funny. Among such great actors, she manages to escape the puppet mechanism and be human, wonderfully so. Alice, if you're reading this, marry me :)
Another French farce
little_rhody24 June 2007
Warning: Spoilers
French comedy often times seems to be structured after the plays of Moliere. The Valet is an amusing little film, but falls into the category of watered down, 300 year old farce.
Boy meets girl, boy looses girl, boy gets HOT super model, boy doesn't want super model - he wants the girl. His perceived relationship with the super model is making everybody crazy in one way or another, but the laughs are few and far between. It's amusing, but not funny, and comedies ought to be funny. I saw this in a theatre with between 80 and 100 people. There was one woman in the crowd that laughed regularly, and it was a laugh that indicated she was trying to deal with some hardship, but was presenting a strong facade to show the world she was okay. That kind of response doesn't auger well for a comedy.
Boy meets girl, boy looses girl, boy gets HOT super model, boy doesn't want super model - he wants the girl. His perceived relationship with the super model is making everybody crazy in one way or another, but the laughs are few and far between. It's amusing, but not funny, and comedies ought to be funny. I saw this in a theatre with between 80 and 100 people. There was one woman in the crowd that laughed regularly, and it was a laugh that indicated she was trying to deal with some hardship, but was presenting a strong facade to show the world she was okay. That kind of response doesn't auger well for a comedy.
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