99 francs (2007)

The life of Octave Parango, a flamboyant ad designer, filled with success, satire, misery and love.

Director:

Jan Kounen

Writers:

Nicolas Charlet (screenplay and dialogue) (as Nicolas), Bruno Lavaine (screenplay and dialogue) (as Bruno)

Stars:

Jean Dujardin, Jocelyn Quivrin, Patrick Mille

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jean Dujardin	...	Octave Parango
Jocelyn Quivrin	...	Charles 'Charlie' Dagout
Patrick Mille	...	Jean-François 'Jeff' Marolles
Vahina Giocante	...	Sophie
Elisa Tovati	...	Tamara
Nicolas Marié	...	Alfred Duler
Dominique Bettenfeld	...	Jean-Christian Gagnant
Antoine Basler	...	Marc Maronnier
Fosco Perinti	...	Giovanni Di Toro
Cendrine Orcier	...	Fabienne
Dan Herzberg	...	Steven
Arsène Mosca	...	Le dealer
Niels Dubost	...	Père Groobad
Aurélie Boquien	...	Mère Groobad
Mathis Jamet	...	Enfant Groobad

Storyline

The life of Octave Parango, a flamboyant ad designer, filled with success, satire, misery and love.

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Plot Keywords:

part animation | see through panties | red panties | panties | title same as book | 

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Taglines:

I'm the most influential bastard in 2000 years.

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

PG-13

Details

Official Sites:

Pathé Distribution [France]

Country:

France

Language:

French

Release Date:

26 September 2007 (France)

Also Known As:

13,99 euros

Filming Locations:

Paris, France

Box Office

Budget:

EUR12,447,638 (estimated)

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$13,444,973

Company Credits

Production Co:

Légende Films, Film 99 Francs, Pathé

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Each time Octave Parango (played by Jean Dujardin) is in a bad trip, Frédéric Beigbeder appears. It certainly reffers to the fact that Beigbeder worked himself in an advertising agency as Octave in the movie.

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Goofs

When Octave's version of the Starlight commercial is shown on television for the first time, the blob of yogurt on his eyebrow disappears and reappears between takes.

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Quotes

Octave Parango: Everything is bought. Love, Art, planet earth, you me. Especially me. The man is a product like any other, with a limit sell by date. I am advertising, I am one of those that make you dream the things you will ever have. Blue skies, never ugly chicks, perfect happiness and retouched in Photoshop. You think I embellished the world? lost, I screw it up. Everything is temporary. Love, Art, planet Earth, you, me. Especially me

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Connections

References The Thin Red Line (1998)

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Soundtracks

An der schönen blauen Donau
Composed by Johann Strauss (1867)

User Reviews

Reach Exceeds Grasp, but....

If you can imagine what an episode of "Mad Men" might've been like if they let Quentin Tarantino direct an episode, that's what you get with "99 Francs," an extremely ambitious and darkly funny assault on modern capitalist consumer culture and our advertising-obsessed age.

As a guy who's worked on and off in advertising for years, I almost shut off the film in the first half-hour, because it seemed like a bunch of things I've seen before -- vain, handsome, narcissistic drug and sex obsessed self-hating ad agency Creative Director's career ascends as his personal life falls apart --- Been there, seen that, over and over.

But I stuck with it and as the movie goes on, it becomes increasingly ambitious and, finally, profound. The last half hour or so is INTENSE, and I recommend sticking through the credits. The point the film tries to make connects, if maybe a bit too obviously at the end, but it's still pretty powerful.

Not surprised this subversive, well-made film didn't get a US theatrical release. Hollywood would never dare make a picture like this.