La chance de ma vie (2011)

Ever since he can remember, Julien is bad luck to every woman he dates, with disastrous results. But just when he accepts he'll never find true love, he meets the beautiful, sexy Joanna. And much to her expense, he just can't help himself.

Director:

Nicolas Cuche

Writers:

Luc Bossi, Laurent Turner,

Stars:

Virginie Efira, François-Xavier Demaison, Armelle Deutsch

2 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Virginie Efira	...	Johanna Sorini
François-Xavier Demaison	...	Julien Monnier
Armelle Deutsch	...	Sophie
Raphaël Personnaz	...	Martin Dupont
Thomas N'Gijol	...	Vincent
Brigitte Roüan	...	Lydie
Yves Jacques	...	Maxime Dupont
Marie-Christine Adam	...	Dominique, la mère de Julien
Elie Semoun	...	Philippe Markus
Francis Perrin	...	François, le père de Julien
Frank Molinaro	...	André (as Franck Molinaro)
Gérald Marti	...	M. Brochand
Jean-Louis Sbille	...	M. Mexès
Catherine Claeys	...	Mme Mexès
Elisa Tovati	...	La mariée

Storyline

Julien Monnier has a serious problem. Though he's a brilliant couples counselor, he can't keep a woman in his life for more than two weeks. Indeed, ever since his childhood, Julien jinxes every woman who falls in love with him. But it's not just any small jinx. It's the kind that sends you to the hospital several times a week, that destroys your professional life or that turns your friends into enemies. Julien is strictly speaking a true black cat for women. Joanna Sorini will soon learn this at her expense the day she meets him. A career that's just taking off, a love life that finally seems to be taking a good turn, all that may just change.

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Plot Keywords:

luck | bad luck | counselor | wedding ceremony | couples therapy | 

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Taglines:

Ce mec est une catastrophe ou... (This guy is a disaster or...)

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

Mars Distribution [fr] Official site [fr]

Country:

France Belgium

Language:

French Korean

Release Date:

5 January 2011 (France)

Also Known As:

La oportunidad de mi vida

Filming Locations:

Hoeilaart, Belgium

Box Office

Budget:

€5,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fidélité Films, TF1 Films Production, Scope Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

87 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital DTS

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

While he admits that sometimes, superb unexpected things can happen during a shoot, Nicolas Cuche doesn't believe in improvisation as a rule, due to comedy being very rigorous. As such, he didn't leave much time out for it during filming.

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Connections

References Avatar (2009)

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Soundtracks

"Shark in the Water"
Written by V.V. Brown, Tommy Tysper and Marcus Sepehrmanesh
Performed by V.V. Brown

User Reviews

French comedy well-worth a Hollywood re-make

Virgine Efira is a class-act. If Hollywood is looking an actress who has the complete package they need look no further. She is funny quick and gorgeous; a distinctive personality and screen presence. I've seen her steal another movie effortlessly 'Mon Pire Cauchmar' by Anne Fontaine in a small throw-away role up against seasoned pros. She's a much better bet for the money than more high-profile European actresses such as Audrey Tautou (no offense, she is a great actress but less well- suited to mainstream cinema).

This is an excellent high-concept romantic comedy which works. The two leads have great chemistry and carry-off a film which could have struggled with forced gags. It is a distinctly commercial and classical film which relishes the Hollywood style of comedy.

Laugh-out-loud comedies are rare and French cinema struggles often with its fear of being like American cinema and seeming dumb, this contempt for popular American cinema leads them nowhere fast and we have to sit through a lot of boring pretentious stuff, which is trying too hard to be either better or just different to Hollywood. The bottom line is that 'funny is money' as a Hollywood shark once explained to me, this is funny: enjoy!