We Need a Vacation (2002)

It is the end of the school year for the children of a dormitory town. Most of them leave the place for a vacation with their parents but not Lucien and Adama whose parents can't afford the... See full summary »

Director:

Didier Bivel

Writers:

Didier Bivel, Djamila Djabri

Stars:

Thylda Barès, Siraboula Sissoko, Lilly-Fleur Pointeaux

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Thylda Barès	...	La petite fille défilé de mode
Siraboula Sissoko	...	Gamine défilé école 2
Lilly-Fleur Pointeaux	...	Lila
Thomas Pitiot	...	L'animateur
Ibrahim Koma	...	Adama
Aymen Saïdi	...	Lucien
Albert Goldberg	...	Le vigile
Nabil El Bouhairi	...	José
Makan Fofana	...	Mamadou, le frère d'Adama
Hawa Yakaré Sissoko	...	Fanta, la soeur d'Adama
Marie-Philomène Nga	...	La mère d'Adama
Moussa Sanogo	...	Le chanteur
Laura Mas Navarro	...	Pamela, Lucien's Sister
Hiam Abbass	...	La mère de Lucien et José
Bernard Blancan	...	Le père de Lucien et José

Storyline

It is the end of the school year for the children of a dormitory town. Most of them leave the place for a vacation with their parents but not Lucien and Adama whose parents can't afford the expense. While the big brothers of the housing estate are busy breaking the law Lulu and Adama manage to sneak into their neighbors' trailer. The two stowaways are elated until they reach their destination: a nudist camp...!

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Plot Keywords:

coming of age | buddy movie | best friend | nudist camp | nudist | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

Unrated

Details

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

22 July 2004 (USA)

Also Known As:

We Need a Vacation

Filming Locations:

Calvados, France

Company Credits

Production Co:

Canal+, France 2 Cinéma, Havas Images

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Won several awards at the Saint Jean de Luz Film Festival.

User Reviews

A little uneven at times, but nice.

I'm surprised at the low rating that this movie has garnered. While I think the storyline was a little uneven at times, the interaction between the two leads was very organic. They seemed like good friends, partners in crime, if you will.

"We Need A Vacation" gives us a glimpse into the underbelly of French society living in housing projects. Adama and Lucien feel like they're living in a fishbowl, and want to get away. They hitch a ride to what they think is a beach vacation only to be quite surprised when they arrive at a nudist camp! They engage in some petty crimes along the way, but this is in no way glorified.

The second act is a bit muddy. The relationship between Lulu and his brother becomes suddenly rocky as the older of the two realizes that his younger brother is idolizing his poor example. They have a shocking interaction, and then we're treated to an abrupt ending. You're not exactly left hanging however, because you're not surprised. I liked it.