Le dîner de cons - DVD Review

Film / Year of Release / Language: Le dîner de cons (English Title - The Dinner Game)/ 1998/ French

Genre: Comedy  

Running Time: Just 85 minutes! (Approx)

Snapshot: Each week, Pierre Brochant (Thierry Lhemitte) and his friends organise - "un dîner de cons" (Literally means Dinner of Idiots). Everyone brings the dumbest guy he can find as a special guest. Later, after the 'special' guests depart, the group of friends have more fun and elect the more stupid and imbecile guest. Pierre thinks his find for the week -François Pignon (Jacques Villeret), a man that works in the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and makes "matchstick models" to forget his estranged wife,- will be a show stealer.  But thanks to a back numbing pain, Pierre gets stuck alone in his apartment with the clumsy Francois and what follows is a long night-mare!

Why its on my list: If you thought the plot sounds familiar, you have probably watched Bheja Fry (2007) the Hindi rip-off of this film. This film is written and directed by Francis Veber. Veber co-wrote some of Hollywood's best comedies in the 1990s including Bird Cage (1996) and Fathers Day (1997). This film is a non-stop laugh riot with a mean streak. The film has outstanding performances by both the lead stars (Jacques Villeret and Thierry Lhemitte) and does have its occasional 'senti' moments too! Easily one of the meanest and funniest movies of the 1990s.  Veber wrote Le dîner de cons originally for the stage and he adapted it to film after hundreds of successful stage performances! 

Awards and Nominations: 4 Awards and 5 nominations including a nomination for best European film at the Goya awards