Les Cachetonneurs (1999)
Director: Denis Dercourt
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Another day, another gig. As one rehearsal ends, bass player Roberto (Lacan) is networking among his regular freelancers on the fringes of the classical music scene. The job on offer means good money, meeting in a country chateau and rehearsing with veteran Austrian conductor Svarowski (Garcin) for a private New Year's Eve concert. Roberto has five takers - among them a pregnant flautist, a kleptomaniac cellist, and an abrasive viola player - who join a nervy local clarinettist to await the the maestro's arrival. Quite why this famous baton waver should have agreed to work with such a modest ensemble, it takes a while to find out, but the group certainly needs him to stamp his authority on their conflicting personalities. This first feature makes up in authenticity what it lacks in excitement; the musical sequences are convincing, as is the depiction of the daily grind of providing light classics to anyone who'll cough up. Beyond that, however, it fights shy of delving too deep into its characters' frazzled emotions.Author: TJ
Cast & crew
Director: Denis Dercourt
Producer: Tom Dercourt
Cast: Pierre Lacan, Marc Citti, Philippe Clay, Henri Garcin, Marie-Christine Laurent, Serge Renko, Wilfred Benaïche, Clémentine Benoît, Ivry Gitlis, Sonia Mankaï, Meyong Békaté full cast
Duration: 91 mins
Most popular on this site
Features
Chicago International Film Festival preview
Mark Ruffalo cons us into liking The Brothers Bloom, plus early tips on films and surviving the fest.
Chain gang
Miranda July's "video chain letters" for women filmmakers get some respect at the Siskel.
Mister nice guy
Greg Kinnear brings his affability to a flawed hero.
Radical visions
British filmmaker Derek Jarman gets a much-deserved reconsideration at the Siskel Film Center.
Toronto International Film Festival
The Wrestler aside, the least-hyped films at Toronto were the most exciting.
Summer school
Six lessons we learned at the multiplex this summer.
Head trip
Fall preview: Charlie Kaufman's Synecdoche, New York is one of the most mind-bending films of the season.



What do you think?
Post your review now