This movie is one of the most depressing things I've ever seen. It's just crushingly sad from start to finish, I laughed once at a very small conversational joke but apart from that it was just horrible. I can't remember the last movie I saw which has made me so thoroughly unhappy. I missed the first five or ten minutes so if they reveal the whole mockumentary bit there, I guess it would be a bit different. When the characters are revealed to be fake at the end it's less of a "Oh, ha-ha! Great idea filmmakers! You're so inventive" and more of a "Thank god nothing so tragic actually happened." and when it says "everyone else: real!" as if it's some sort of prank, I just got confused. There was no Ali G style joke played on any of the people, throughout the movie everyone just shows the same feelings one has when watching this movie; sympathy and disbelief. I have to conclude that the movie is supposed to be as sad as it is, especially because of the directing. Shots like the trip from Quebec to Toronto where the camera is violently shaking and discomforting are obviously out of place in a movie meant to be a comedy. There is also a long shot in a bar later in the movie where the camera goes in a circular motion from the floor to the ceiling and around the room which evoked such negative feelings that it must have been intentional. The manager was, at times, rather funny in his ridiculous stupidness, but in the context of the rest of the film's melancholy the humor of this character was lost and the viewer is left, once again, thinking "I feel so bad for these people." All in all I wouldn't really recommend this movie to anyone, unless you want to explore the confusing ridiculousness of the film and experience the crippling depression it evokes for yourself. But you might as well just go watch a good movie instead.
3 Reviews
Lousy Comedians Playing Lousy Comedians
jonasg-329 January 2008
Warning: Spoilers
Greg and Gentillon chronicles the lives of two French-Canadian comedians going to Toronto to "make it big" after achieving modest success in Aylmer.
I rented this film because I'm from Aylmer. I was intrigued at first because I went to Grande-Riviere high school, I had the same French teacher, I've been to "La Brass", etc. so it was cool seeing all this featured in a film.
However, the film simply wasn't funny or original.
The duo inevitably fail in their quest for fame and fortune because they are simply not funny. Which makes me wonder: what IS supposed to be funny in the film? Am I just supposed to laugh at there misfortune? Is that seriously it? The movie is made in a sort of documentary / mockumentary style. Only the core characters of are actors and the rest are real people, reacting to the the characters and the situations. According to the official web site, "the result is a novel approach to film-making: Fictional characters reacting to real situations with real people while still following a planned storyline delivered entirely through improvisation." This is not at all novel. British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen has been doing this for years through his characters Ali G, Borat, etc. but Cohen does this much better.
In fact, at one point during the movie, I asked myself whether this was actually an documentary, because why else would they include scenes that were so unfunny unless they were trying to accurately portray what actually happened? Most of the scenes were quite serious: Gentillon getting smashed-drunk after breaking up with girlfriend, Greg and Gentillon fighting because Greg shows up drunk to their gig, Gentillon taking a job at a call-centre in order to pay the bills, etc. These scenes aren't funny. They're just sad.
Ironically, in one scene, a club patron gives them some good advice that the makers of this movie could have actually benefited from: play up the stereotypes (they could have at least asked someone for directions to "turd" street and insulted the "Leafs" or something) and just be real - don't "act" so much. Part of the problem is that the movie is just too believable. They are supposed to be playing lousy comedians when they are, in fact, lousy comedians themselves. Could it be that they are just pretending to pretend? All in all, Greg and Gentillon is only worth seeing if you are from Aylmer, but even then, I would wait until it's in the old release section.
One final note: At one point during the film, a talent agency representative gives the duo the following piece of advice: Keep on following your dreams but if there is anything else you can do, anything at all, you should do it. Perhaps the filmmakers could take the same advice.
I rented this film because I'm from Aylmer. I was intrigued at first because I went to Grande-Riviere high school, I had the same French teacher, I've been to "La Brass", etc. so it was cool seeing all this featured in a film.
However, the film simply wasn't funny or original.
The duo inevitably fail in their quest for fame and fortune because they are simply not funny. Which makes me wonder: what IS supposed to be funny in the film? Am I just supposed to laugh at there misfortune? Is that seriously it? The movie is made in a sort of documentary / mockumentary style. Only the core characters of are actors and the rest are real people, reacting to the the characters and the situations. According to the official web site, "the result is a novel approach to film-making: Fictional characters reacting to real situations with real people while still following a planned storyline delivered entirely through improvisation." This is not at all novel. British comedian Sacha Baron Cohen has been doing this for years through his characters Ali G, Borat, etc. but Cohen does this much better.
In fact, at one point during the movie, I asked myself whether this was actually an documentary, because why else would they include scenes that were so unfunny unless they were trying to accurately portray what actually happened? Most of the scenes were quite serious: Gentillon getting smashed-drunk after breaking up with girlfriend, Greg and Gentillon fighting because Greg shows up drunk to their gig, Gentillon taking a job at a call-centre in order to pay the bills, etc. These scenes aren't funny. They're just sad.
Ironically, in one scene, a club patron gives them some good advice that the makers of this movie could have actually benefited from: play up the stereotypes (they could have at least asked someone for directions to "turd" street and insulted the "Leafs" or something) and just be real - don't "act" so much. Part of the problem is that the movie is just too believable. They are supposed to be playing lousy comedians when they are, in fact, lousy comedians themselves. Could it be that they are just pretending to pretend? All in all, Greg and Gentillon is only worth seeing if you are from Aylmer, but even then, I would wait until it's in the old release section.
One final note: At one point during the film, a talent agency representative gives the duo the following piece of advice: Keep on following your dreams but if there is anything else you can do, anything at all, you should do it. Perhaps the filmmakers could take the same advice.
Hilarious and Original Movie
jimmythehatchet6 October 2005
I saw this movie at the Calgary International Films Festival, I also had the honour of meeting Mathiew and the rest of the cast. This movie is probably the most original movie i have seen in ages. Its like a mix between Documentary and Mocumentary. I Don't even know how to describe it. Just watch it the first chance you get!
Everyone in the movie except Greg and Gentillon and their Agent are real people! so they basically go to Toronto and pretend to be these two french comedians with super thick accents and people totally believe it. Its just a great story, i can't wait for the DVD release. I hope to see much much more from these four in the near future. Looking forward to their next feature Hank and Mike
Everyone in the movie except Greg and Gentillon and their Agent are real people! so they basically go to Toronto and pretend to be these two french comedians with super thick accents and people totally believe it. Its just a great story, i can't wait for the DVD release. I hope to see much much more from these four in the near future. Looking forward to their next feature Hank and Mike
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