A good movie

To be honest, it has been a while since I have seen this flick and, in fact, I think it woud be pretty neat to re-watch it again nowadays. I remember it very well, when this movie was released in France, back then, it was a huge critical hit (it even won the César of the Best French film of the year) and I was therefore really eager to check it out. Eventually, even though I did like it, it didn’t really blow me away but I think I was just too young at the time to really appreciate it. Indeed, even though it seems to a rather straightforward periode piece, it actually goes further than that. Basically, it is about how they use to verbally trash each other at the French court back then in 17th century. Pretty much like some good old hip-hop artists, it was apparently pretty common that the aristocracy would have some ‘duels’, fighting with their wits and vocabulary and to be ridiculed was the worst thing that you could happen to you. As a result, you get something really original and, the fact that you had a very solid cast (Charles Berling, Jean Rochefort, Fanny Ardant, Judith Godrèche, Bernard Giraudeau) was definitely a big plus. To conclude, even though it is pretty much forgotten nowadays, I think it is definitely worth a look, especially if you are interested in French movies.

7/10