Le sens de la fête: ensemble comedy from the “Pretty Best Friends” makers about the small and hilarious dramas that take place behind the scenes of a pompous wedding celebration.
Plot and background
Foul food, fussy guests, a power outage and an unannounced visit from the IRS – for wedding planner Max (Jean-Pierre Bacri), Pierre (Benjamin Lavernhe) and Héléna’s (Judith Chemla) celebration really couldn’t go any worse. Yet everything is so well planned. The wedding takes place in a chateau outside Paris. Money is not an issue. But the human factor is all the more problematic. For one thing, Max is having an affair with his employee Josiane (Suzanne Clément). In addition, his brother-in-law (Vincent Macaigne), who works for him, has a past with the bride.
As the celebration slowly begins, the stress level rises behind the scenes. Josiane, for instance, finally wants to force Max to make a statement – and flirts with waiter Patrice (Kévin Azaïs). Meanwhile, the photographer (Jean-Paul Rouve) and his intern (Gabriel Naccache) feast on the menu, assistant Adèle (Eye Haïdara) is at war with singer James (Gilles Lellouche), a man from the tax authorities (Grégoire Bonnet) shows up in the chaos to take a closer look at Max’s business. And when the groom finally comes to speak, the mood threatens to tip completely.
“Le sens de la fête” – Backgrounds
After the comedy hits “Pretty Best Friends” and “Today I’m Samba,” director-writer duo Olivier Nakache and Éric Toledano follow it up with a charming ensemble piece. Against the backdrop of a magnificent wedding celebration, the two develop a feast of situational comedy, absurd entanglements and ingenious observations. From the perspective of the staff, the celebration develops into a stress test.
This heartfelt comedy premiered at the prestigious 2017 Toronto International Film Festival, where “Le sens de la fête” wowed audiences.
