What's in a Name (2012)
"Le prénom" (original title)

Vincent is about to become a father. At a meeting with childhood friends he announces the name for his future son. The scandalous name ignites a discussion which surfaces unpleasant matters from the past of the group.

Directors:

Alexandre de La Patellière, Matthieu Delaporte

Writers:

Matthieu Delaporte (original play), Matthieu Delaporte (screenplay),

Stars:

Patrick Bruel, Valérie Benguigui, Charles Berling

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview:
Patrick Bruel	...	Vincent
Valérie Benguigui	...	Élisabeth
Charles Berling	...	Pierre
Guillaume de Tonquedec	...	Claude
Judith El Zein	...	Anna
Françoise Fabian	...	Françoise
Yaniss Lespert	...	Livreur pizza
Miren Pradier	...	Infirmière bracelet
Alexis Leprise	...	Apollin
Juliette Levant	...	Myrtille
Bernard Murat	...	L'obstétricien

Storyline

Vincent is about to become a father. At a meeting with childhood friends he announces the name for his future son. The scandalous name ignites a discussion which surfaces unpleasant matters from the past of the group.

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Plot Keywords:

name | bad joke | dialogue driven | name change | homophobic slur | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Details

Official Sites:

Official site [fr]

Country:

France Belgium

Language:

French

Release Date:

25 April 2012 (France)

Also Known As:

El nombre

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Chapter 2, Pathé, TF1 Films Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

109 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film is adapted from the play written by both directors, created in Paris in 2010 (théâtre Edouard-VII) staged by Bernard Murat, and sharing the exact same cast.

User Reviews

French Carnage

As you sit in front of Le Prénom, you can't help but think how many similarities it shares with Carnage (Polanski, 2011): same middle class context, almost the same setting, but with that French flavour that makes everything much tastier. Vincent is about to become father for the first time, and, during a dinner at his sister's house, he's asked about the name his wife Anna and he want to give their son. This simple, lame question sets off an evening where secrets are revealed, feelings are declared and hypocrisy is unmasked.

I think the movie, built on a very strong and witty screenplay, wouldn't have worked the same if the actors hadn't been so good, with so much remarkable chemistry between them. The cast is directed as if it were a company in a theatre: everyone has to be empathic with the others, in order to make the script work.

Better to watch it in original language, with subtitles: it's worth the risk to miss some of the dialogue.