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      The French Minister

      Released Mar 21, 2014 1h 53m Comedy List
      62% 21 Reviews Tomatometer 55% 250+ Ratings Audience Score A new speechwriter must navigate the rough waters of internal politics while trying to compose an important address for his boss, the minister of foreign affairs. Read More Read Less

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      The French Minister

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      Audience Reviews

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      thomas a A rather bland political film, where the supposedly knowledgeable foreign minister of France deals with cliché issues such as "war in Middle East" and "aggressive US imperialism" without getting into any specifics. I give it three stars because the level of artistic quality in this film is quite decent. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/30/23 Full Review Audience Member Witty, funny and amazingly French ! Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Audience Member This is much more than a slapstick comedy. There is some depth of character and insights into how government offices work, even in the face of debilitating bureaucracy. The foreign affairs minister gets extra points for passion and conviction. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/07/23 Full Review Audience Member A satire of what the French do best: spouting out an endless stream of dizzying high-octane meaningless bullshit. Great film! Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/05/23 Full Review jesse o Somehow, this film reminds me of a French version of In The Loop. I don't think this film comes close to that, but I'm somewhat reminded of it. I quite liked this film however with its lunacy and chaotic approach to these group of people trying to do whatever they can in order to avoid setting off a third world war, it's clear this film is set prior to the start of the Iraq war in 2003, but the names of some of the countries are fictionalized. The film also satirizes the fact that Taillard isn't really the brains of the operation but Claude is and Taillard is really more of a figurehead, a charismatic leader in troubled times. The scene that highlights this the most is the scene where Claude is making phone calls in order to avoid setting off a conflict between countries while, at the same time, Taillard is complaining about the highlighters he is given not being good enough. I don't think I'm doing justice to this scene because Taillard goes on an rant of epic proportions. He will just not shut up about his highlighters. There's also another scene that highlights this, but this time Taillard isn't ranting about anything incredibly stupid, so it's not as memorable. But Taillard, with all his grandstanding, his lunacy, the chaos he causes around him, sending papers flying EVERY time he comes in the room, isn't exactly a useless man with no leadership capabilities. He calms down a potentially volatile situation with his charisma and presence, and also chooses to help Vlaminck to help save a family that is about to be expelled/deported (I don't know which) from his girlfriend's school. So he's not entirely useless. The film is certainly satirical, it shows off the completely chaotic world that Vlaminck finds himself in, the chaos that goes along with that sort of job. And I can somewhat imagine it being like that, which is why I wonder why ANYONE would take a job that's clearly very stressful. Going all over the place, having to redo a speech 15 times because Taillard isn't satisfied with it, the stress that must come along with being in power as a war is about to start and how you do everything to keep that from happening. Quite a stressful job. The acting is excellent, Thierry Lhermitte, as Taillard, absolutely steals the show in literally every scene he appears in. He was incredibly convincing in the role and he just has that presence that makes him a believable politician in the film. The rest of the cast is quite good actually, but this is all about Thierry Lhermitte and he certainly delivers the goods. I can't really complain about the film, it offers some really good laughs, but I think it drags a little bit in some parts. Outside of that, this is a very good political satire. Perhaps not quite In The Loop, but pretty damn good regardless. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Originally titled " Quai d'Orsay " . A funny, irreverent look at French diplomacy. Entertaining enough. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 02/14/23 Full Review Read all reviews Post a rating

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      Critics Reviews

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      Philippa Hawker The Age (Australia) Some of its references might be arcane but most are not, and its sly, satirical depiction of power has universal appeal. Rated: 4/5 Jul 17, 2014 Full Review J. R. Jones Chicago Reader There are enough moments of inspired lunacy to make this worthwhile. Apr 10, 2014 Full Review Anthony Lane New Yorker The films of Bertrand Tavernier have often been fringed with humor, of a rueful kind; now, in his seventies, and in a rousing rebuke to tranquillity, he has turned to farce. Mar 31, 2014 Full Review Robert Koehler Cinema Scope Thierry Lhermitte plays this verbose, preening idiot with a determination that becomes grating. Oct 2, 2017 Full Review Peter Galvin sbs.com.au I think what I liked best is the way that Tavernier makes the film about Arthur's sentimental education and the universal tendency to dismiss politics as a triumph of style over substance. Rated: 3.5/5 Aug 1, 2014 Full Review Tom Clift Concrete Playground What the film is really missing, though, is a character like Malcolm Tucker. Without an angry Scotsman threatening to punch people into paralysis, the humour feels decidedly toothless. Rated: 3/5 Jul 21, 2014 Full Review Read all reviews

      Movie Info

      Synopsis A new speechwriter must navigate the rough waters of internal politics while trying to compose an important address for his boss, the minister of foreign affairs.
      Director
      Bertrand Tavernier
      Screenwriter
      Antonin Baudry, Christophe Blain, Bertrand Tavernier
      Distributor
      IFC Films
      Production Co
      CN2 Productions, Pathé, France 2 Cinéma, Little Bear [fr], Alvy Développement
      Genre
      Comedy
      Original Language
      French (France)
      Release Date (Theaters)
      Mar 21, 2014, Limited
      Release Date (Streaming)
      Mar 31, 2017
      Box Office (Gross USA)
      $3.8K
      Runtime
      1h 53m
      Aspect Ratio
      Flat (1.85:1)
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