Mercredi, folle journée!
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Victoria LafaurieScreen Time: 50%Role: Victoria Age: 11 years old |
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Clara NavarroScreen Time: 20%Role: Marylin Age: 7 years old |
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Armonie SandersScreen Time: 10%Role: Muriel Age: 11 years old |
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Emma PicoronScreen Time: 10%Role: Emma Age: 10 years old |
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Ondine DupontScreen Time: 5%Role: Colette Age: 11 years old |
Mercredi, folle journée!
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Directed: Pascal Thomas
Country: France
Language: French
Genre: Comedy
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0244071
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Summary
A typical Wednesday in the busy French harbour town of Nantes. Whilst children enjoy their day off school, the adults carry on with their frantic and increasingly stressful lives. One such adult is Martin, a compulsive gambler who has agreed with his ex-wife to spend the day with his young daughter, Victoria. Having convinced his ex-wife that he is the last person to take charge of an infant, Martin takes Victoria home to meet his mistress, Sophie. Unfortunately for Martin, Sophie has just decided to end their relationship. Homeless and tired, Martin then realises he has to attend a court hearing for non-payment of maintenance money to his first wife. As things get increasingly fraught for Martin, it is Victoria who ends up keeping her father out of trouble...
Movie Reviews
On the surface, this may seem a simple, typical French frolic, with too many characters, too many intertwined story lines - a little too much of everything stuffed into a two hour (!) piece of carefree entertainment.OTOH, from a less superficial point of view though, this can be seen as outstanding ensemble work, well scripted, - acted and edited about the absurdity of everyday life. A school class, on a wednesday, go to school half the day, and have the other half off to play and spend time with their parents. The parents of the schoolchildren lead a hectic life full of stress and relationship blues, hardly knowing what to do with their children when they're off school.
The beauty of this film is, that it tells a story, without ever becoming boring, about how trivial our everyday lives are. If you understand French well enough, you'll find a lot of subtle and painful jokes, without ever turning into cynicism.
How much better are we than our children? Or haven't we ever grown up? These seem the relevant questions here.
The acting (as usual ensemble piece: an all star cast) is very good and contains finesse. Special regard must go to the many children that not only inhabit, but beautifully embody the story. The director did an excellent job by letting the girls and boys, without acting experience, look natural and sane in the midst of the frenzies the grown ups produce. Well done job there.
All in all, Mercredi folle journee is an achievement. Maybe not a masterpiece, but at least a good example of French comedy, and a saturday afternoon well spent.
© ALIPTES