Patrice Leconte (Monsieur Hire) takes a witty look at the meaning of friendship in this French romp about mid-life crisis and borderline personality dysfunction. Stars Daniel Auteuil.
Screened as part of NZIFF 2007
My Best Friend 2006
Mon meilleur ami
Prolific French director Patrice Leconte (Intimate Strangers, Monsieur Hire, The Widow of Saint-Pierre) takes a witty look at the meaning of friendship in this romp about midlife crisis and borderline personality dysfunction. François (Daniel Auteuil) is a successful Parisian art dealer with a grown-up daughter, a beautiful girlfriend, and a glamorous social life. But at a dinner with his dearest acquaintances, he is blindsided by the revelation that none of them actually likes him: a lifetime of cultivating status-symbol associates has left him utterly friendless. So François sets about searching for a real friend, and finds himself taking instruction from chatty cab driver and trivia buff Bruno (Dany Boon) on how to be friendly. But as François quickly discovers, learning the art of empathy and sincerity is far more difficult than he ever imagined. An ingenious climax, which involves, of all things, the French version of Who Wants To Be a Millionaire, ends this urbane, sophisticated and engaging comedy from the master of human folly.