Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageGazon maudit (1995)
Director: Josiane Balasko
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
Serial adulterer Laurent (Chabat) has all the women he wants, and in Loli (Abril), a beautiful, blissfully ignorant wife. At first the intrusion of butch, cigar-smoking Marijo (Balasko) seems no more than a minor irritation (her van breaks down outside their home, and Loli immediately takes a shine to her), but when she puts the moves on his wife, Laurent cannot contain his shock and revulsion. His reaction sends the women into each other's arms, and soon he's negotiating for equal conjugal rights. An astute, modern spin on the ménage-à-trois farce, this begins like one of Bertrand Blier's tongue-in-cheek intellectual provocations, with Balasko reprising her unlikely seductress role from Trop belle pour toi! Unlike Blier, however, Balasko (who also wrote and directed) actually seems to like her characters, even as she accentuates their foibles: Laurent's chauvinist hypocrisy, Loli's naive pride and jealousy, and Marijo's domineering self-confidence. These stereotypes are endowed with rather more dignity than their circumstances allow, and most of the playing is marvellously sympathetic. A very funny and expertly timed farce.Author: TCh
Cast & crew
Director: Josiane Balasko
Producer: Claude Berri
Cast: Victoria Abril, Josiane Balasko, Alain Chabat, Ticky Holgado, Miguel Bosé, Catherine Hiegel, Catherine Samie, Telsche Boorman, Katrine Boorman full cast
Genre(s): Comedy
Duration: 107 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'
The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing
What do you think?
Post your review now