Cliente (2008)

User Rating:

5.9/10   

Director:

Josiane Balasko

Writers:

Josiane Balasko (adaptation)
Josiane Balasko (novel)

Release Date:

1 October 2008 (France)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

A married construction worker leads a double life as a male prostitute serving rich ladies.

Plot Keywords:

House Painter | Sisters | Hairdresser | Gigolo | TV Shopping Network

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Nathalie Baye	...	Judith - la productrice / présentatrice d'une émission de téléachat
Eric Caravaca	...	Marco
Isabelle Carré	...	Fanny - la femme de Marco, propriétaire d'un salon de coiffure
Josiane Balasko	...	Irène
Catherine Hiegel	...	Maggy - la mère de Fanny et de Karine (as Catherine Hiegel sociétaire de la Comédie Française)
Marilou Berry	...	Karine - une jeune fille en crise
Félicité Wouassi	...	Rosalie - l'associée de Fanny
George Aguilar	...	Jim - un Indien d'Amérique dont s'éprend Irène
Sandrine Le Berre	...	Bérénice - la coprésentatrice du téléachat
David Rousseau	...	Alex
Guillaume Verdier	...	Zoltan - un prostitué mâle
Jean-Christophe Folly	...	Toutoune - l'ami chef de chantier de Marco
Richard Berry	...	Lucas - l'ex-mari de Judith
Maria Schneider	...	Marie-Hélène - une cliente de Patrick
Joaquina Belaunde	...	Rosanna - une riche Péruvienne cliente de Patrick

Also Known As:

A French Gigolo (USA) (festival title)
Client (International: English title) (informal title)

Runtime:

Germany:104 min (European Film Market)

Country:

France

Language:

French

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | France:U

Filming Locations:

Brasserie L'Idéal, Paris, France

Company:

Canal+

Trivia:

Josiane Balasko wrote the script a few years earlier but when she proposed it to film and television producers they all rejected it for being "shocking and inappropriate". Then she decided to make her screenplay into a novel, also titled 'Cliente'. Only after the book was a success could she find young producers who took the risk to have it filmed.

Movie Connections:

References Brokeback Mountain (2005)

Soundtrack:

Tweedle dee tweedle dum

Midi Cowboy

Pas mal, but so what? There seem to be a novel French cultural obsession with male love for hire. Last year gave us the total fluff of "Hors de Prix," but at least that had Gad Elameh, Audrey Tatou, Nice and Biarritz as a stunning backdrop. Cliente does a little better on the fluff side, with director (and excellent support actress) Josiane Balasko injecting some social concern in an otherwise lightweight comedy. Viewers are however left wondering if the setup was really necessary.

The story revolves around Marco, aka Patrick, escort for hire for older rich ladies in search of lunchtime company in Paris. Marco is pushed to the oldest profession by the need to support his wife's budding business, and therefore escape from a difficult cohabitation. When the wife Fanny finds out about the moonlighting, like the say, things will never be the same.

In any case Cliente delivers good fun, almost never misses a beat and has a couple of truly hilarious moments.