French Comedy Picks

The President's Wife (Bernadette) is a comedy inspired by real events, starring the iconic Catherine Deneuve (Belle de Jour), which tells the political rise of Bernadette Chirac. It follows her journey from being a submissive first lady, wife of Jacques Chirac (played by Michel Vuillermoz), president of from 1995 to 2007. Tired of being sidelined in political matters and humiliated by her husband’s affairs, Bernadette decides to reinvent herself, taking control of her life and her own power. The film simplifies some events, which flow like a history class summary. It may also feel somewhat lukewarm in its portrayal of a feminism that breaks away from the conservative values of 's political right. Nonetheless, the result is fun, thanks to Deneuve’s great comedic touch.

Are you a fan of French humor? Then you should know that 'Adieu Les Cons' is the purest example of comedy from the land of croissants in the current cinema context, being the highest grossing movie there in 2021. The story starts with those unlikely meetings: a mother with a serious illness sets out to find the son she gave up for adoption, ing a blind archivist and a man who has already crossed the stress limit. From there, it creates unlikely - and excessively priceless - situations. Winner of no less than six Césars (the French Oscar), including Best Film, the feature has Albert Dupontel as its great star, after all he is, in addition to co-protagonist, the director and co-screenwriter. Perfect for those looking for loose laughter and love to laugh at other people's misfortune.

An unbelievably inspiring dramatic comedy based on real facts, full of dark humor and a lot of heart. In addition to telling a fascinating story, it ends up honoring one of the great figures of cinema, Charles Chaplin, by recreating a bizarre episode of his history. The careful soundtrack is one of the highlights of the film, which was selected at the Venice Film Festival.

Comedies featuring police duos are usually quite entertaining and 'Loin du périph' fits well into this niche. Omar Sy ('Lupin') and Laurent Lafitte ('The Origin of the World') are former work partners who haven't spoken to each other in a long time, and are forced to reunite for an investigation and must revive the partnership they had in the past. Even though this type of story is hackneyed, this French production manages to give it a refresh and deliver a good dose of suspense, humor and emotion. After all, any movie that talks about friendship can touch us a little, right?

The personal and professional life of Céline Dion has some aspects worthy of a fairy tale, both for its magic and its drama. Valérie Lemercier, who acts as protagonist, director and screenwriter, takes the most representative part of the life of the world's most famous singer to build in 'Aline: The Voice of Love' a touching and emotional fictional story. A film that was presented at Cannes and moved the audience as Dion does with her songs. Want to read more about 'Aline'? Click here and check out 7 truths and lies of the film inspired by Céline Dion.