Tenue correcte exigée (1997)

Director:

Philippe Lioret

Writers:

Sandra Joxe (writer)
Jean-Louis Leconte (writer)

Release Date:

26 March 1997 (France)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Cast

Jacques Gamblin	...	Richard Poulenc
Zabou Breitman	...	Catherine Sperry (as Zabou)
Elsa Zylberstein	...	Lucie - une prostituée de luxe
Jean Yanne	...	M. Brucker - le directeur de l'hôtel
Daniel Prévost	...	M. Bardon - le concierge de l'hôtel Charles VII
Christian Sinniger	...	Maurice - le chasseur du Charles VII)
Philippe Beglia	...	Don Sperry - le gouverneur de l'Iowa
Urbain Cancelier	...	Raoul Duchemin - un éleveur de poulets
Fabienne Chaudat	...	Rose Duchemin - la femme de Raoul
Zinedine Soualem	...	Le chauffeur de taxi
Jean-François Perrier	...	Walter - un serveur du Charles VII
Yves Afonso	...	Jacquot - un SDF
Philippe Cariou	...	Schwartzy
François-Régis Marchasson	...	Monsieur Cimic
Blandine Pélissier	...	Madame Cimic

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Filming Locations:

Autoroute A14, France

Company:

Canal+ Productions

Movie Connections:

References Pretty Woman (1990)

Soundtrack:

Sonata Arpeggione D.821

One of the two best French comedies ever!

The rhythm is relentless, it's funny from beginning to end, it's got a social undertone, and there's a sort of "justice being done". Not with a heavy hand, but moral characters haven't got the same fate than crapules. What more can you expect? Of a French comedy or any other country or genre , by the way :)... I can only compare it with "Le diner des cons" & maybe its informal sequel, "L'invité". Much better than "Le placard" and all others.

Jacques Gamblin as "Richard" is perfect as a looser with a good heart, convictions, and a good eye for women :). It's refreshing to see him in a "light" role, after his powerful performance at "Les oubliées" (TV series), in which he was a brooding police inspector tracking a long haul serial killer.

Elsa Zylberstein as "Lucie", how NOT to fall for her :)? She's such a fast dazzling woman, and then the real life of "Pretty woman" shows up. Beautiful, and yet fragile. Street smart, and then making all the wrong choices in life.

Jean Yanne... can we be surprised he's the perfect "funny small time sociopath", after his Bertrand in "Je règle mon pas sur le pas de mon père" (1999). He's a natural...

The supporting roles are fine, from the cab driver with perpetual bad luck to Richard's fellow vagrant, Jacquot, with a hidden code of conduct in all his suffering and small escroqueries. And, let us never forget, the hapless couple "Raoul & Rose Duchemin", both impeccable, without which this film would never be the same. Daniel Prevost was indeed hilarious as David Eidelman's review states.

It's unusual to watch a film in which every step is the right one, every dialogue, just perfect, and timing just couldn't be improved. A comedy can also be a masterpiece.

Note: Music is fine, as "photography". Like the shot at our couple looking for his dirty jeans, hiding in a dark place surrounded by light colours, the director succeeds in getting us beauty out of ugly places.