How about a flight to Ibiza?

Cinema Wednesdays - Jonas Follonier

It's the new film starring Christian Clavier. Has the popular French actor once again taken on a role that is not his own? Three times no. Ibiza is a very good film, and while it's nice to look at, its main character is not. Above all, he's touching.

All my friends had sounded the sirens of good cinematic taste in the face of my legendary determination to keep abreast of the latest developments in Clavier's filmography by going to see Ibiza. A title which, in their eyes, augured yet another failure, far worse than what the old man had been able to achieve with With open armss or Momo. But, but: it's not so. If I had been almost convinced by the court of the old-fashioned, to which my entourage had not accustomed me, the experience Ibiza was not only entertaining, but also surprising. A summery, family atmosphere pervaded the evening, and is still filling my body as I write this review.

It's true that everything looked as if Clavier, more concerned with selling than renewing himself, was going to play yet another clichéd, grumpy, bitter, redneck Frenchman who, after a week's vacation in an undesirable destination, would reverse his prejudices and turn out to be the most tolerant of men. In short, a film that surf on the vile instincts of the human species, culminating in a bath of unbearable humanism. Wrong! Here, the character of Philippe, played by Christian Clavier, is touching and open from the start; it's rather his company that's ridiculous, and which evolves over the course of the film. Philippe wants to do everything he can to win the love and understanding of his new wife's children, who are much younger than he is.

So, of course, the story doesn't fly high, and neither does the photography, which follows in the footsteps of the best French achievements. no headaches. Deliciously disgusting credits, in big, bold yellow letters, falsely too much. A transition between the sunny credits and the city in the rain, from a sec. The dialogue is also light, but no one will tell me it's not funny: «Have a nice day! - Yes, yes, I almost threw up.» (when Philippe gets out of the car driven by his wife). Or, even better: «Be careful children, the sun is naughty here» (when they arrive in Ibiza).

All in all, Arnaud Lemort's film is both funny and entertaining. Interspersed with good-natured love stories, the work Ibiza is refreshing, and Christian Clavier's acting style, while classic, is equally at the service of an equally remodeled character. This is not to be taken as a masterpiece, ever. We don't need it to escape for an evening.

Write to the author: jonas.follonier@leregardlibre.com

Photo credit: © Gaumont