C’EST LA VIE

France, 2017, 117 minutes, Colour.
Jean- Pierre Bacri, Jean- Paul Rouve, Gilles Lelloouche, Vincent Macaigne, Eye Haidara, Suzanne Clement, Alban Ivanov, Helene Vincent, Benjamin Lavernhe, Judith Chemla.
Directed by Olivier Nakache, Eric Toledano.

So, that’s life! C’est la vie!

This is one of the agreeably funny films of 2018. It was co-written and co-directed by Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, who are extraordinary successful with the film about the invalid and his carer, Les Intouchables.

This film is not quite what might be expected from the title and expectations that this could be yet another French romantic comedy. Rather, it is the story of a day in catering for a wedding where everything could go wrong (and a lot of it does), the hassles for the manager and the staff (sometimes extreme), but where the celebration does go on and many of the guests are none the wiser.

The film also has a large cast and the casting directors have done a very good job in their selection, especially of the staff, men and women, young and old, eccentric and fairly normal, different race representations. So, this wedding celebration is a mini microcosm (though one is cautious to say this because one of the main characters, a former English teacher who has had a breakdown, comments pedantically through the whole film about precise expression, especially pointing out to unwitting users, “pleonisms�, redundancies like “starting from now� or “mini-microcosms�!).

The film opens amusingly with Max, the manager for catering (an excellent Jean- Paul Bacri) to special events, is discussing plans with a pleasant young couple who have thrift, even beyond-thrift, in their suggestions for their own wedding reception. His exasperated response to the invitation to his being inventive, sets the tone of humour, expectations that people have about receptions, and the professional and personal pressures on the managers.

Most of the film takes place between 2 o’clock in the afternoon and almost 6 AM the following morning. Step by step we meet all the people involved, the chefs, the substitute musician and his tantrums, the assistant manager and her seeming inability to stop bursting out angrily to any opposition, the photographer whom nobody will employ except the manager, his friend, a photographer now being redundant as all the guests line up with their phone cameras. There are quite some different types in the staff, the aforementioned former teacher who had dated the bride, a substitute brought in who is accident-prone, turning off the freezing switches when he uses his shaver, ruining the meat. And there are some Sri Lankans who provide some humour, language jokes, and finally some saving-the-night music.

The main target of spoof is the bridegroom, impossibly conceited, giving long speeches, participating in an acrobatic finale that has to be seen to be believed! At many moments, the audience might be thinking that a sequel to this film would be a reception for everyone after the divorce! How could anyone remain married to this oafish narcissist?

Very funny at times. Angers being vigorously expressed at times. But, ultimately, quite a sense of humanity underlying the quirks and foibles as well as the resilience of human nature.

1. The title? Humorous? Irony? Audience expectations from the title? Romance, a romantic comedy?

2. Paris, the Eiffel Tower, the office, outside the office? The countryside? The mansion and grounds, the interiors, the range of rooms, lavish, work rooms? The work and preparations? The celebration?

3. The visuals, the performances, the exuberance, the score?

4. The range of characters, their stories, interactions? The French tone? Use of workers, taxes, deals, the law and inspection?

5. The time indicators, life going on despite all the difficulties?

6. Organisation, sabotage, things going wrong, management, resourcefulness in crisis? The show going on and people being satisfied?

7. Max, his age, in himself, the difficulties in marriage, his relationship with the assistant? To tell his wife are not? The reaction of the assistant? The initial interview with the young couple, their demands, his irony about being inventive? Exasperated? His job, the contact with someone to buy his franchise? Travel to the mansion, the logistics, the setup, his responsibilities, interactions with the staff? Continued exasperation but some tolerance? Picking up Julien, the past contact, giving him the lift? The photographer and employing him when others were taking pictures with their own phones? The 2 IC and the clashes with her, her anger? With James about the music?

8. The groom, his presence, character, pompous and narcissistic, his mother and her adulation, spoiling him? The bride? His lining up the cue for him to be asked to speak, his false modesty, the links, the quotations, people bored? And all the action behind the scenes? His criticism of the music program? The compromises with James? The final performance, his flight and acrobatics, his final fall?

9. His mother, the interactions with Guy, Guy and his interned and getting him to do the work, nobody hiring photographers? Sexual obsessions, the relationship with the mother of the groom? Julien, his range of questions, his behaviour, his pedantry about words and expression, his infatuation with the bride in the past, dancing with her?

10. The range of guests, the behaviour of the guests, the spoiling of the meat, having to eat anchovies, salt, drinking? The comedy yet the difficulties being tided over?

11. Adele, second in charge, his strong personality, quick-tempered, the clashes with James – but the ultimate reconciliation and infatuation? Her ability to manage?

12. James, his macho attitudes, fighting with Adele, playing, improvising, compared, the success on the night? The relationship with Adele after the clashes?

13. The Sri Lankans, language issues, in the kitchen, finding the opportunity and pretext to Interrupt Max to get him off the hook? The cooking? The final triumph with the musical performance?

14. Samy, wanting the money, shaving, turning off the power, the meat rotting, the consequences? His serving, his enthusiasm?

15. Max, coping, the rotting meat, finding the alternative, the travelling, getting supplies from the other restaurant?

16. Everything coming together? Wariness about the man with the briefcase – and Max are speeches, justifying himself and payment, the potential buyer?

17. The finale, the groom, acrobatics and flying?

18. Max, the end of the day, early morning, his severe outbursts, the reaction of the staff? Phoning his wife? His wanting to give up, calming down, people comforting him?

19. The new day, the new job, no sale, life happens, life is good, the humane aspect of the story?