My Best Friend

Daniel Auteuil and Dany Boon have been born for such comedies. A nice, inoffensive, in a similar vein like for example The Dinner Game. A witty and funny movie. It’s simply a pleasant chillout, but it also has a message and some nice film moments, so natural that no one but the French would’ve been able to pull it off. (09/30/2019)

At first glance, this is an inconspicuous small, and TV film about the redemption of one loner and the search for the true meaning of the word friend. But it has two strong positives. The first is the strong cast, led by the outstanding and as usual very civil Daniel Auteuil (currently the best actor in France for me), ably supported by the likable and sympathetic Dany Boon. The second is the sophistication and civility of the story, which could of course be approached in a Hollywood way and could squeeze out artificial emotions in every other scene. I can vividly imagine an American version with Walter Matthau, who would appropriately overact the character into caricature and the whole thing would be heading toward an average comedy that wouldn't deviate from what the viewer has seen many times before. Like in the hugely successful Slumdog Millionaire, the well-known game Who Wants to be a Millionaire plays a significant role as well, but here I found its use more functional, and paradoxically I value this little film more than Danny Boyle's blockbuster. Overall impression: 75% (07/16/2011)