Comments on: Mon Roi (France 2015) https://globalfilmstudies.com/2016/06/04/mon-roi-france-2015/ An introduction to global film for teachers and students Sun, 05 Jun 2016 13:18:22 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: des1967 https://globalfilmstudies.com/2016/06/04/mon-roi-france-2015/comment-page-1/#comment-6489 Sun, 05 Jun 2016 13:18:22 +0000 http://globalfilmstudies.com/?p=10764#comment-6489 I agree that Bradshaw’s one-star classification is absurd. If used he would have to introduce a negative set of ratings for the real turkeys that abound. I enjoyed it and if forced to give a rating somewhere between “redeeming features” and ‘worth watching” (to use Jonathan Rosenbaum’s much more satisfactory system). One of the things that ‘redeemed’ it for me was Cassel’s performance but I can appreciate how it can be seen as histrionic. (Ironically, the actor playing Tony’s brother, Louis Garrel was quite restrained; usually he is very mannered and annoying). I like Maiwenn both as an actor (she was very good in Polisse, an original take on the French police procedural, as well as
L’amour est un crime parfait (Love Is the Perfect Crime)(2013). Mon roi is not as good as these films but I would still recommend people to see it.

The title, I think, derives from Georges Brassens’ song, “Le roi des cons” (on Youtube with French and English subtitles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEUOEGTluaI.) ‘Jerk’ is a reasonable translation for ‘con’ even if it’s irritating that they usually use American terms. I would have thought that ‘arsehole’ would be a more precise UK English equivalent.

Incidentally, I’m looking forward to the delivery of the DVD of Deux dans la vague/Two in the Wave, Emmanuel Laurent’s documentary about the relationship between Francois Truffaut and Jean-Luc Godard, especially their big falling out on the release of Truffaut’s Nuit americaine (Day for Night) in 1973. I understand much of it is consists of Maiwenn’s younger sister, Isild Le Besco, reading press cuttings about the pair. Not a girl and a gun, which Godard said was all you needed to make a film, but a girl and an autocue. (She also plays the role of Babeth in Mon roi). And if you’re into bio tittle-tattle, Maiwenn had a child with Luc Besson when she was 16.

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