The Dinner Game (Le Dîner de cons) (1998)
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73% of critics liked it
(45 reviews) -
89% of users liked it
(19,297 ratings)
Francis Veber wrote and directed this film adaptation (with animated opening credits) of his own play, Le diner de cons, about a competition among a group of friends to see who can find the stupidest person to bring to dinner (as indicated by the original French title, since "con" means… More Francis Veber wrote and directed this film adaptation (with animated opening credits) of his own play, Le diner de cons, about a competition among a group of friends to see who can find the stupidest person to bring to dinner (as indicated by the original French title, since "con" means someone who's a total dumbbell). The dinners are held each Wednesday night, and French publisher Pierre Brochant (Thierry Lhermitte) has found a world class nincompoop -- Finance Ministry accountant Francois Pignon (Jacques Villeret) who uses matchsticks to build small-scale replicas of monuments. Things quickly go awry after Pierre wrenches his back at golf. He nevertheless makes an effort to attend the dinner with his prize dunce. Francois arrives at Pierre's luxury apartment, but Pierre is in such pain they never exit the apartment for the dinner. Instead, Pierre is trapped in a situation where Francois' stupidity turns his life into a comic hell. In 1993, Villeret created the role of the dimwit onstage during 600 performances of a 27-month run, and the play also had a 1994 London production. In addition to Veber's Oscar-nominated screenplay adaptation of Jean Poiret's La Cage aux Folles (1978), reworked into The Birdcage (1996), other American comedies originated in French screenplays by Veber -- The Toy (1982), The Man with One Red Shoe- (1985), Three Fugitives (1989), and Fathers' Day (1997). Shown at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, Rovi
- Directed By
- Francis Veber
- Written By
- Francis Veber
- Genres
- Drama, Art House & International, Comedy
- In Theaters
- Jul 16, 1999 Limited
- Studio
- Lions Gate Films Inc.
Critic Reviews
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Lisa Nesselson, Variety
Weaves a simple premise into comedy gold.
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Andrea C. Basora, Newsweek
Despite the stagey set-up (it was originally conceived as a play and it shows), the film manages to maintain its humor and energy until the final scene in which Veber suddenly casts aside his delightful meanspiritedness and gets soft-hearted and preachy.
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Lisa Alspector, Chicago Reader
Some realist nuances in the characters' behavior become more intriguing than the belabored humor.
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Andrew Sarris, New York Observer
A sip of sparkling champagne in a moviegoing summer of mostly cheap red wine for teenage winos.
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, Time Out
The leads fill out their archetypes comfortably, the timing's well pitched, and the narrative moves busily enough. Cinematically, though, there's little of interest.
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Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Thierry Lhermitte
as Pierre Brochant
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Jacques Villeret
as Francois Pignon
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Francis Huster
as Leblanc
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Alexandra Van Der Noot
as Christine
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Daniel Prévost
as Cheval
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Catherine Frot
as Marlene
- Alexandra Vandernoot
