Mean Spirit (2003)

Simon is a down-on-his luck artist who gets no breaks from any quarter. While out working as a street sketch artist, he stumbles across the construction site for a new museum that is very ... See full summary »

Director:

Patrick Alessandrin

Writers:

Laurent Chouchan, Patrick Alessandrin (adaptation)

Stars:

Thierry Lhermitte, Ophélie Winter, Jean-Marie Winling

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Thierry Lhermitte	...	Vincent Porel
Ophélie Winter	...	Chrystèle Porel
Jean-Marie Winling	...	Docteur Edouard
Debora Khan	...	Hôtesse Bureau Porel #1
France Bargain	...	Hôtesse Bureau Porel #2
Clémentine Célarié	...	Béatrice Copy
Espérance Pham Thai Lan	...	La traductrice
Roger To Thanh Hien	...	Nguyen Van Tam (as Roger To-Thanh-Hien)
Thaïs Alessandrin	...	Petite Fille
Michel Muller	...	Simon Variot
Eric Cornet	...	Clochard
Leonor Watling	...	Carmen
François Levantal	...	Freddy
Sylvie Vandeputte	...	Secrétaire Porel
Jean-Paul Sermadiras	...	Vigile #1

Storyline

Simon is a down-on-his luck artist who gets no breaks from any quarter. While out working as a street sketch artist, he stumbles across the construction site for a new museum that is very obviously stolen from a design he created as an architecture student. Enraged, he storms into the office of architect Vincent Porel and demands an explanation, but is immediately hauled out by security. When the police arrive to arrest Simon, he makes a break for freedom, only to be accidentally struck down in the street by Porel himself. As Simon lays dying on the hood of Porel's car, his soul is transferred into the body of a newborn baby, none other than Porel's own son, born at that very instant. Remembering his past and realizing that he is now in the care of the man who stole his work and killed him, Simon resolves to make his new father's life hell.

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Plot Keywords:

vomiting | artist | architect | construction site | newborn baby | 

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Taglines:

Chieur-né!

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Genres:

Comedy

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User Reviews

c'est pas drole du tout

'C'est pas drole du tout' - it's just not funny Mr. script-writer and Mr. director. I cannot say too much more about this French comedy.

It's not that the idea could not make for a good film. The spirit of a failed architect born under an un-lucky star reincarnates in the body of the new-born baby of the rich entrepeneur who stole his project and killed him in a car accident. The baby will do all to make the life of his father miserable.

The film is re-told by the off-screen of the mature spirit in the baby body. It's not such a bad idea, and so are the camera shots taken from the perspective of the toddler. Unfortunately, these premises and the decent acting of Thierry Lhermitte are the only good things that can be said about the film. The rest of the cast is awful, the humor is either very expected and trivial or non-existing, and the movie succeeds to end before really beginning, but yet to make us feel bored for most of its 80 minutes.

Details

Country:

France Spain

Language:

French

Release Date:

5 November 2003 (France)

Also Known As:

Bastardo dentro

Filming Locations:

Consejeria de Medio Ambiente y Ordenacion del Territorio, Madrid, Spain

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$8,516,629

Company Credits

Production Co:

Les Productions du 3ème Etage, Mate Producciones S.A., Vertigo

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1