Samba

Three previous encounters with the works of the duo Nakache and Toledano turned out great, so I took a risk and chose a film from their workshop that I already knew wouldn't quite sit well with me. I've never liked Gainsbourg. From her involvement in the snobbish films of Lars von Trier, she has gone even lower, and her presence on the screen is a real nuisance to me. I do not share the director duo's belief that we will solve the problems of third-world residents by resettling them in Europe. Contemporary France may be attractive to a pragmatic tourist who chooses the ideal ratio between price and the number of experiences. They can save themselves the trip to Algeria, Lebanon, Senegal, and many other destinations. However, the diverse multicultural environment brings a lot of painful cultural and political conflicts that can easily escalate into something much worse. Just feeding the growing and increasingly angry security apparatus confronting an expanding and more reckless group of Islamic radicals at a time when the French economy becomes uncompetitive and the country clearly declines is an unsolvable puzzle. You won't find any disturbing questions or a more comprehensive view of the phenomenon of immigration in the movie. But what is worse and leads to surprising disappointment is the mediocrity of storytelling and the absence of chemistry between Omar Sy and Gainsbourg. This film desperately lacks spontaneity, liveliness, originality, and freshness. It is predictable and comedically impotent. The main problem lies not in the casting or social significance, but in the poor entertainment value. Even the two stars I'm giving it are flimsy. Overall impression: 35%. (07/02/2021)

This is ultimately a daring endeavor by Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano. Once again, they reach the viewer through unobtrusive music by Ludovico Einaudi, score points with their topicality, and most importantly, rely on the overwhelming charisma and disarming smile of Omar Sy. And miraculously, they emerge victorious again. Their intangible weapons, thoroughly tested by now, have lost none of their firepower. Although the entire situation is once again appropriately lightened and in its essence a bit tough to swallow for those working in the social sphere, I am speechless. This is an attempt to tell a story about an issue that the overwhelming majority of people will laugh at, be moved by, and shake their heads at, but ultimately forget once they leave the cinema. And one cannot help but root for such an attempt. (04/10/2015)

Quite disappointing. I admit that I expected more from the filmmakers and the cast. Not really from the cast, because Omar Sy is great, as is Charlotte. I believe in them in every scene, but the film just has a very slow pace, and in the end, it's quite clichéd and doesn't offer anything new. That's a shame. (12/30/2015)

Charlotte Gainsbourg puts on her rose-tinted glasses and leads Omar Sy all the way to... go ahead and add your own take on what you like to think of as a happy ending. In this film, the options are a) to bed, b) to the sunset, or c) to the Eiffel Tower. Or the untouchable useless encounter between a nymphomaniac and a refugee. French romances of today are in fact quite similar to this. What is the world coming to? (07/28/2015)

The first major disappointment from the duo of Omar Sy and Eric Toledano (The Intouchables). While the film nicely depicts the fact that immigrants have it tough in France and Omar Sy can be as good as he wants, no one has mercy without papers. There is very little humour, but there is no boredom. If you're in the mood for a topical social drama that's well acted and filmed, it's fine to watch. 65%. (11/06/2017)