Often times the simplest of stories make the best movies. You don’t need layers of subtext or elaborate plot devices to construct a moving or memorable film. All it takes is a little humanity and some very sound acting to create an enjoyable experience. It’s sometimes easy to forget among all the special effects and big budgets, that movies – for the most part – have always been about people and the trials and tribulations they face on a daily basis. When it comes right down to it, the movies that have affected me are the ones that provoke me to think about myself, but more importantly, others. My Best Friend is a simple story about something we all have a tendency to take for granted: Friendship.

Francois Coste (Daniel Auteuil) is a successful antique dealer with zero friends. His selfish attitude and abrasive social skills aren’t very attractive qualities. Francois insists he has many friends but his business partner Catherine refuses to believe him, so she wagers Francois that he cannot produce a “best friend” in the next ten days. The stubborn Francois accepts the challenge and embarks on a mission to locate a companion, any companion. Helping him in his search is Bruno (Dany Boon), a good-natured taxi driver obsessed with trivia. Bruno attempts to instruct the oblivious Francois in the art of meeting people, but Francois fails to grasp the concept. As their time together increases, a friendship begins to form. But Francois’ determination to win his wager with Catherine threatens his budding relationship with Bruno. Francois soon learns that using someone for personal gain is no way to treat a friend.

The entire film has A Christmas Carol feel to it with Francois as Scrooge and Bruno playing the role of Bob Cratchit. Catherine could be considered a Jacob Marley type figure, warning Francois that he needs to change his ways or risk being alone. Unlike ol’ Ebenezer, Francois isn’t mean, he’s just indifferent. Material things are his real “friends,” but he seems painfully naive to this truth. Bruno shares not only his time but also his trust. However, the notion of giving something other than money to another person is lost on Francois. His stunted social graces make him both sad and comical. His own daughter’s refusal to acknowledge him as her father sounds an alarm, but he has no idea how to respond. In his journey to find another, he must also find himself. For Francois, redemption can only come from within.

Writer/Director Patrice Leconte hands the reigns of this endearing story over to his actors. Daniel Auteuil and Dany Boon both deliver strong performances. Auteuil, one of France’s best actors, continues to display an uncanny versatility: I’ve seen him play a ruthless con-artist, a paranoid family man and now a likable ass. He plays a perfect comic foil to Dany Boon’s straight man. Speaking of Boon, he shines in his portrayal of the lonely Bruno, a decent man with a melancholy past. My Best Friend is the exact type of movie that is easily overlooked by mainstream audiences. It doesn’t have big stars or a headline grabbing hook, which is probably why I enjoyed it so much. Seek it out if you’re a fan of little films with big hearts.

The trailer for My Best Friend:


No Comments »