A very sweet, underrated family comedy.

MINI-REVIEW:

As opposed to the original series of books written by French author René Goscinny throughout the 1950s, the film adaptation of Le Petit Nicolas does actually have a plot where there is one individual storyline and, therefore, a beginning to an end. The style of the series is written in telling the audience about the different morals of life, but the film expressed a clear but very specific message; one that is beautifully told by protagonist Nicolas. It is emotionally touching as we engage with a family who just want to be “normal” and we’re alongside Nicolas and his gang of friends in their journey to “find out the truth”.


Furthermore, it has its outrageously hilarious moments. It is stationed in many ways like a situation-comedy, especially regarding Nicolas’s parents and the father’s boss. Also, it’s very funny with Nicolas and his friends, who are literally like a younger representation of the seven dwarfs despite there are, in fact, 8 of them and they argue and bicker at each other. It is all their different personalities and wanting to overpower one another that expresses the immaturity and competition between children. All 8 of the young actors gave strong performances in their respective roles as did Valérie Lemercier and Kad Merad in roles that are only known as Nicolas’s mother and father. In fact, all other characters apart from the gang of schoolboys are just referred to the audience as their character type. Director Laurent Tirard did a marvellous job in directing a feature that had a television and pantomime touch to it. You do not have to be the biggest admirer of foreign language films to enjoy this. It’s funny, it’s charming, it’s emotional and it is bound to warm the hearts of kids and adults alike.

8/10