Not Dead

"Le Grand Soir" (2012 release from France; 92 min.) brings the story of two brothers who couldn't be more different: Benoit is the self-described "oldest punker in Europe with a dog", living on the streets (literally) with no hope for any future. He has nicknamed himself "Not". Then there is Jean-Pierre, a mattress sales guy who lives by the rules and is on the narrow and straight. As the movie opens, we see the brothers having a "conversation" (both of them talking at the same time) with their dad, who owns and runs a small restaurant called "Potato Palace" ("La Potaterie" in French). It isn't long into the movie that Jean-Pierre, unable to meet his sales quotas, gets laid off, and that's where the problems start. To tell you more of the plot would spoil your viewing experience, you'll just have to see for yourself how it all plays out.

Couple of comments: this movie, directed by Gustave Kervern and Benoît Delépine, is a biting commentary on the suburban culture and society, where you don't or can't fit it if you don't behave a certain way. As Jean-Pierre falls deeper and deeper into the black hole of his existence, the movie becomes a suburban desolation clues, French style of course. The absurdities of certain situations have a definite French flavor to them. Not to mention that the movie features a number of French punk songs. I'm not a fan of punk, but in this context they sounded refreshing (as opposed to bringing the same ol' tired punk classics like Plastic Bertrand's Ca Plane Pour Moi"). Last but certainly not least are the brilliant performances from Benoît Poelvoorde (as Benoit/Not), and even better in my opinion is Albert Dupontel (as Jean-Pierre/Dead).

This movie is MILES away from your standard Hollywood, or even European, fare. Nevertheless, if you are in the mood for a quality foreign movie that is definitely off-center, you cannot go wrong with this. "Le Grand Soir" is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

First of all don't believe any of the positive reviews because they come from people involved in this movie or at least that know somebody that was. I do like Benoit Poelvoorde but not in this movie, just because the movie is not good. Benoit Poelvoorde is one of those actors that has good movies, the funny ones, but also a lot of bad movies, and Le Grand Soir is definitely one of the bad ones. Even if you like some Punk music, like I do, this movie is still garbage. The only good thing was the song La Bière from Les Garçons Bouchers, but I could have just listen to my CD instead of enduring this movie. Albert Dupontel plays the frustrated salesman, and he also annoying to watch. If they did one to bring a message about society they didn't achieve anything. This movie is not rebellous at all. A movie to forget about, as soon as possible.

You pay and you got nothing in return : it's a french movie and there is no subtitles ! If it was a American movie, you'll get them ! Perharps Canal+ thinks that hard or hearing don't exist in France or that they want only foreign films ??? But for me it's simple : without them, i can't follow a french movie ! However I try as i appreciate Poelvorde and him doing a Punk should be an interesting. Like Lisbeth Salander, it's about being marginal characters and we don't see much of them. In addition, behind are the authors of Guignols and Groland so i should be funny !

The first thing i notice is the horrible golden cinematography ! People have awful orange skin, everything seems unnatural, faded… Next, the movie is short (90 minutes) but the first minutes are about Benoit walking in the street with his dog. It barks at a cat picture and Benoit kicked it… so 2 minutes for a small fun moment… Next, we have a five minutes meal in which Benoit and his brother tell together their father each own story so it's again desperately long for a small fun moment. The next scene is more quiet but i can't follow the dialogues.. So, with so much problems after ten minutes, i stop the movie and maybe i will give it a try …on a free channel…..

But it all depends on your mood, when/while you are watching this. Because while it is sort of a portrayal of society (a bleak look at parts of it), it is more at home in the comedy genre. But not the laugh out loud kind of comedy. The darker and subtler one, with weird characters and even weirder (and sometimes benign) plot developments.

Our two main characters are connected, but while they seem different, the only difference seems to be their social status. Not for very long though, as one of the brothers has to face something no one likes. Out of that situation and some very long shots, humor arises with the interactions you are watching. Not everyones tea and more likely to alienate people than please them. But there is joy in that too ...

fantastic performance of all actors... especially the great Benoit Poelvoorde. Spontaneous comic dialogs as absurd as can be... The environment of these shopping areas in the outskirts of all bigger towns in France, looking the same wherever you go is a perfect background for this acid story about people struggling. Once the atmosphere set, a firework of weird characters start to play together their non existing relationship. If you have liked Delépine's and Kervern's black humor, you will enjoy this one too... Touching desperados in a everyday-life setting, enhanced by the fixed camera. They do have a true talent to make you laugh with cynicism...