The story is quite simple. A young couple goes to visit his (as in, the husband's) old friend's family house outside of Paris and then... let the action begin.
What stands out is the self irony of all characters. In short films, it can get difficult at times to catch the spectator's attention, so that he fully understands what you, as a film maker, want to transmit. It is no easy task and the cast handles is elegantly, each of them constructing a different character. There's quite a few clichés thrown in there, and the actors make them work. You can easily follow each one's chain of thought, and their faults, seen through a humorous perspective, come into play at exactly the inappropriate time. Which makes the movie very likable, as it shows that every society's values (in this case, the French) are somewhat ridiculous.
The scene where the two children crown their victorious father "Olympic" champion is a delight and it's very much representative of the movie itself. There's also a Hollywood twist in the story, where the visiting couple, sharing their true feelings about the hosts, are heard over the baby monitor in the guest room. However, you cannot fault it, since it makes for a great ending: everybody sitting down to eat, in awkward silence, and the visitor's realization that they had been exposed, when hearing the same baby monitor "in action".
There's no need for words, as the spectators laughter speaks volumes. And there's a bonus: the French song about friendship, used to accentuate the ridicule of the story, is a cliché with a twist.
All in all, a great sophisticated short!
Calin Radulescu @ Shorts Up Romania, June 2010
What stands out is the self irony of all characters. In short films, it can get difficult at times to catch the spectator's attention, so that he fully understands what you, as a film maker, want to transmit. It is no easy task and the cast handles is elegantly, each of them constructing a different character. There's quite a few clichés thrown in there, and the actors make them work. You can easily follow each one's chain of thought, and their faults, seen through a humorous perspective, come into play at exactly the inappropriate time. Which makes the movie very likable, as it shows that every society's values (in this case, the French) are somewhat ridiculous.
The scene where the two children crown their victorious father "Olympic" champion is a delight and it's very much representative of the movie itself. There's also a Hollywood twist in the story, where the visiting couple, sharing their true feelings about the hosts, are heard over the baby monitor in the guest room. However, you cannot fault it, since it makes for a great ending: everybody sitting down to eat, in awkward silence, and the visitor's realization that they had been exposed, when hearing the same baby monitor "in action".
There's no need for words, as the spectators laughter speaks volumes. And there's a bonus: the French song about friendship, used to accentuate the ridicule of the story, is a cliché with a twist.
All in all, a great sophisticated short!
Calin Radulescu @ Shorts Up Romania, June 2010