Fatal

Fans will recognise the comedy style. However the satire is not everybody's cup of tea.

This is actually a very entertaining and, if certainly not intellectual, then nevertheless still thought-provoking movie.

It is the story of a young man from the picturesque Haute Savoie region of southern France who passes himself off as a ghetto rocker/rapper, and builds a huge career as a flashy rapper. It's all fake, though, and that's what this movie is about: the superficiality of manufactured successes in modern pop music.

At one point, when Fatal's real story is exposed, there is a moment of truth telling: Fatal and his rival express their real feelings to their public. This could easily have become a made-for-TV mess at this point. But it doesn't, because it realizes that audiences don't really want sincerity, they just want the latest manufactured hype.

Not a great movie, certainly, but a very entertaining one with some intelligent ideas well worked out. An American version of this could be very entertaining as well, but I find it hard to believe an American producer would allow it to be this cynical about the nature of modern music audiences.

First of all let's make some things clear from the start: this movie looses 90% of it's charm if you're not French. Most of the fun comes from cultural references and playing with the meaning of words/names. Going even further, on the language level, one must master both English and French slang to fully appreciate the puns or the songs lyrics. Therefore I don't find it unusual that this great movie didn't received a better score, as it's targeted to a restrained audience.

I've heard people out-there saying that this is just another Jackass movie. I'd say that that's far from being true and that kind of opinion is probably the result of watching this movie without the prerequisites I was mentioning in the above paragraph. As far as I'm concerned this film is unique and like Sasha Baron did with his characters (Bruno, Borat, Ali G) so did Michael Youn by putting a lot of effort into creating a character you enjoy watching and listening to.

Every scene is carefully planned and every set is filled with details that will make you laugh out loud. You can watch it over and over again and still find something to laugh about.

I'm going to stop here as I'm under the impression that I'm preaching to the choir and those of you reading this comment already dig this movie :) For those of you planning to rent or buy the DVD, please pass the checklist at point 1) and if everything checks then go ahead with your plan and you'll be pleased with your choice!

If you're looking for a sort of tribute for contemporary French humor mixing a little bit of Les Inconnus with the Guignols de l'Info version of Stallone among other influences, channeled in a film utterly easy to go through with excellent pacing and adequate structure with no relent on the idiotic humor and few breaks if any... then look no further.

This is dumb enough to make you actually enjoy it, with that hint of cleverness ever present from scene to scene and gag to gag. In short, this is wit serving the purpose of idiocy. The viewer just needs to lower their guard and let go of their inhibitions, and level with what's going on in front of them. There's real inspiration behind the bits and the movie doesn't just settle for being a series of blatant caricatures without purpose.

Interestingly enough Michael Youn doesn't just star as the lead character, he also directed and wrote this thing. Which is quite a trick he pulled off as the end result is really a well made and quite frankly enjoyable piece of moronic entertainment which, if you have a little time...why not.

The songs are catchy and believable. The movie doesn't linger and quite likes its transition-less edge. It's dumb as hell, sure, but who isn't dumb as hell at least part of the time: give it a go.

For me, Mickael is the first talented funny guy in France. In a way, he is the De Funès of the XIth century because i'm sure to laugh loudly at everything he does ! Sure his childish humor isn't clean or intellectual spoofs but at the end, it's bull-eye as I laugh and that's the essential ! Here, he makes fun of the showbiz and especially the rap industry ! In a way, as this world is really superficial and nearly illiterate (a paradox for writing lyrics), the ideas come easily. As a director, Mickael is also inspired as the movie pulses and doesn't give headaches ! He is also a brilliant casting director because the Canadian humorist is good as his nemesis and Furnaro is indeed a sublime girlfriend