Le trip à trois (2017)

Genre: Franco / Comedy
Réalisation: Nicolas Monette
Distribution: Mélissa Désormeaux-Poulin, Martin Matte, Romane Martins
Durée: 110 minutes

 

Estelle et Simon sont ensemble depuis une décennie et forment une petite famille toute simple et sans histoire, prise dans la routine du quotidien de parents avec un enfant qui alternent entre le boulot et le train-train de la vie de couple rangée. Désireuse de sortir de sa zone de confort et de sortir son couple de sa torpeur, Estelle entreprend le projet d’avoir un trip à trois avec son mari et une autre femme. Mais, qui sera cette femme?

Entre la chimie évidente entre les acteurs principaux et les dialogues truffés de petits bijoux bien comiques, j’ai beaucoup ri avec ce petit film simple. Ça ne révolutionne rien, mais ça divertit solidement. Et je suis convaincu que plusieurs sauront se reconnaître dans les personnages et les situations.

Rating: ««««

Jimmy Carr: His Dark Material (2021)

Genre: Comedy
Directed by: Brian Klein and Amanda Baker
Cast: Jimmy Carr
Running Time: 59 minutes

 

With Jimmy Carr, nothing is sacred; absolutely no subject is taboo. And, as he says himself, joking about bad things is nothing like doing the said bad things. Carr starts off with COVID-19—the topic of the last couple of years—but he quickly moves on to other things. He discusses sex, religion—and a combination of both of these—, family and a multitude of other topics. With Jimmy Carr, it is not really about long bits on various topics. What you get here is a series of liners, all very edgy and dark. The comic finishes off with what he calls his “career enders”, where he pretends to remove the gloves he never really had on. I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Jimmy Carr has truly become a master of his craft. He is at his peak. The man is truly a genius when it comes to liners and crowd work.

Rating: «««««

Being the Ricardos (2021)

Genre: Biographical / Drama
Directed by: Aaron Sorkin
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, J.K. Simmons
Running Time: 131 minutes

 

This films tells the story of the relationship between Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, focusing mostly on a very difficult week leading to the taping of an I Love Lucy episode, after Ball was labeled a Communist sympathiser in the press.

Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem gave spectacular performances in the two lead roles. It is especially surprising for me when it comes to Kidman. In spite of all the talent she has, I would have never imagined that she could pull off a convincing Lucille Ball. She did. The transformation was amazing. You forgot the actress behind the role while the movie lasted. 

The material given to the actors and actresses was also very good. You could see that they were having fun biting into it. My only issue is with the tone, which felt confused at time. There seemed to be a small lack of focus in the direction, that made you wonder what was the point of it all. But, the strong performances and the good lines still gave me a new appreciation for Lucille Ball, a strong woman way ahead of her time.

Rating: ««««

Chappelle's Show (2003-2006)

 Genre: TV / Comedy
Starring: Dave Chappelle, Charlie Murphy, Donnell Rawlings
Number of seasons: 3

 

This is a Comedy Central sketch comedy show hosted by comic Dave Chappelle. Chappelle also appeared in most of the sketches. A shorter third season was produced, after Chappelle left the show over various conflicts with the network, and those episodes were hosted by Charlie Murphy and Donnell Rawlings, with previously produced sketches.

This sketch comedy show had a lot of great moments. Among my favorites are that sketch with the white family with a racial slur for a name, the racial draft and the Frontline parody. The Lil’ John bit seemed popular with the crowd and with critics, but I found it redundant and annoying. I am a big fan of what Chappelle is doing now with his comedy. He has become a master of his trade. In this TV show, he showed some flashes of brilliance, but I don’t think he was ever enough in control of it, and it showed.

Rating: «««

Sacrifice (2011)

 Genre: Action / Thriller
Directed by: Damian Lee
Cast: Cuba Gooding Jr. Lara Daans, Christian Slater, Kim Coates
Running Time: 100 minutes

 

John Hebron is a tough Canadian undercover cop whose job has already cost him his wife and young daughter. Still reeling from the loss, he gets involved in the case of a dangerous heroin ring, where he must protect the younger sister of Mike, a young defector of the drug gang.

This film has a real TV movie feel, with cheesy dialogues and bad acting. There were a few interesting glimmers, like seeing Kim Coates on screen again (really dug him in Sons of Anarchy). Other than that, this was really pedestrian and uninteresting.

Rating: ««

La grande séduction (2003)

 Genre: Franco / Comedy
Réalisation: Jean-François Pouliot
Distribution: Raymond Bouchard, Benoit Brière, Pierre Collin, David Boutin
Durée: 110 minutes

 

Saint-Marie-la-Mauderne, un petit village de pêche de la Côte nord du Québec, vit des moments difficiles du point de vue de l’économie. La petite population du village, sous la gouverne du nouveau maire, Germain Lesage, tente le grand coup pour séduire un docteur de la ville pour qu’il s’installe dans la collectivité, car la présence d’un médecin est le critère manquant pour qu’une compagnie place une usine dans le coin.

J’adore ce film. Le jeu est parfois gros, mais cette comédie est le bon véhicule pour ce genre de chose. Les personnages sont bien définis (on en connaît tous des gens comme ça) et ils sont bien livrés à l’écran par des comédiens et des comédiennes de talent. Le scénario et les dialogue sont divertissants, et la réalisation est bien ficelée. Voilà un film que j’aime revisiter encore et encore.

Rating: «««««

Merci pour tout (2019)

 Genre: Franco / Comedy / Drama
Réalisation: Louise Archambault
Distribution: Julie Perreault, Magalie Lépine Blondeau, Robin Aubert
Durée: 99 minutes

 

Marianne et Christine sont deux sœurs aux styles de vie fort différents. Depuis un bout, elles sont en froid, mais, suite au décès soudain de leur père, elles décident de faire le voyage ensemble aux Iles-de-la-Madeleine, la terre natale du paternel, pour répandre ses cendres et fuir leurs problèmes personnels, qui les suivront malgré tout en route.

Ce film est somme toute assez divertissant. Le scénario n’est pas sans faille et le jeu est parfois gros, mais la chimie indéniable entre les deux comédiennes principales rend le tout bien meilleur que nous aurions pu l’espérer de prime abord.

Rating: ««««