Kings for a Day (1997) User Reviews

A feel-good French comedy

[corner-2 · 7/10 · 27 October 2006]

This is an entertaining feel-good comedy about two Polish brothers who emigrate to France to find a better life and live "like kings". Unfortunately, life isn't that simple, and they find themselves moving from one job to another with little success. Then Roman, the more daring of the two, seizes an unexpected opportunity and gets his brother to pose as an Icelandic film director whose new movie is about to be shown in an international film festival, while he plays the role of interpreter. They soon find themselves in a luxurious hotel suite sipping champagne and feted by the other attendees and the press.

The situations they find themselves in are fairly standard for this kind of farce, but the warmth of the actors and light touch of the director make this film much more entertaining and funny than might be expected. And the film manages to provide a few surprises and chuckles right up to the last shot at the very end.

In Poland ,all Romans are not Polanski.

[ulicknormanowen · 7/10 · 25 February 2021]

Roman and Edek have emigrated to France to taste the French dream ; and they succeed -for a short while- beyond all expectations!

This is a marvelously precise spoof on the world of cinema ; because they are mistaken for an Icelandic director who made a would be masterpiece "nuit blanche sur la banquise" (=sleepless night on the ice field), both Poles are given the royal treatment : de luxe hotel,gourmet meals, limos ; and director François Velle (son of famous actor Louis Velle who essentially works on stage and on TV and who appears bearded in the movie )does not miss an opportunity to laugh at the world he depicts (and to make us heartily laugh at the same time ) : the question of the highbrow journalist who "analyzes " the movie in a way nobody can understand a word of his logorrhea; the screening of the movie during which the "interpret " falls alsleep; the smug self-satisfied producer (the always reliable Thierry Lhermitte) whose only worry is to make money ; the jury who deliberates ,before giving the awards : as the festival takes place in Reims ,capitale of Champagne wine , the highest prize is the "bouchon d'or" (=golden cork) , a horror which the impostors ( it's an alternate title to "come des rois" )win hands down with their nordic movie.

Stephane Freiss and Marius Pujszo are riotously funny in the grand tradition of Stan and Olie , overtaken by the events , but taking advantage of the crazy situation ,playing their role of usurpers to the hilt.

A pleasant comedy

[zutterjp48 · 7/10 · 14 May 2021]

After the fall of the Berlin wall Edek and Roman, two Polish brothers decided to travel to France to live their French dream. They have looked for a lot jobs and they have had a lot of disappointment. Now Edek has saved a little money and has decided to get back to Poland. At the airport Roman asks Edek to give him a last chance and Roman finds a great opportunity: Edek will pose as an Icelandic film director and he ,Roman will be his interpreter. So they are invited at the film festival of Reims and begin the live the great live: they are ain suite, they eat very well, they can chose the best drinks. Everything is going well (press conference, meeting with an actress,some members of the jury want to give the price to the film of Edek). The more interesting is the description of the people in this film festival: producer with his starlet, the young actress, the members of the jury, film delegates and their behavours.

A very pleasant comedy with the good performances of Stéphane Freiss and Mariusz Pujszo !!