The Dinner Game (1998)

Synopsis

Wanting to get into the upper echelon, Parisian publisher Pierre Brochant (Thierry Lhermitte) agrees to attend an “idiots’ dinner.” The idea is that each guest brings along an “idiot,” someone with an unusual hobby everyone can ridicule. Brochant stumbles across someone he considers an ideal idiot, a Finance Ministry worker named François Pignon (Jacques Villeret). Though “impressed” with his ability to build matchstick replicas of famous landmarks, Brochant has Pignon meet him at his apartment. Unfortunately, Brochant develops severe back pain, and worse yet, his wife, Christine (Alexandra Vandernoot), leaves him in disgust. Once Pignon arrives, Brochant reluctantly has him help try getting his wife back, only to fumble every attempt. Things go from bad to worse when Christine inadvertently learns about Brochant’s infidelity due to Pignon’s incompetence. Before the night is over, Brochant learns the error of his ways and realizes he’s the true idiot.

Review

Admittedly, I haven’t watched many French films, so some of my criticisms could be chalked up to misunderstanding French culture. That said, I can see why The Dinner Game has earned a cult status among comedy fans. It’s very quirky and offbeat, but also reflective of class warfare and the destructive power of personal biases. Francis Veber wanted to flip the script and make the so-called “sophisticated elitists” look like fools, and he succeeded. However, and this might be me having different tastes in humor, I wouldn’t call this a “laugh out loud riot.” Sure, the movie is humorous, but I can’t say I laughed as much as I would at Blazing Saddles. Granted, most of the gags here rely on wordplay, and our protagonist’s continual failure as the situation worsens. It reminds me of how Return of the Living Dead gets funnier the worse things get, minus the zombies.

Thierry Lhermitte is perfectly cast as the good-looking yet morally reprehensible Pierre Brochant getting his just desserts. Seeing a traditionally handsome, outwardly charming guy continually stumble and have his life crumble is satisfying and cathartic. We’ve all dealt with bullies who seem to get everything handed to them, so seeing one failing is entertaining. Additionally, the late Jacques Villeret is phenomenal as the homely yet lovable François Pignon with an odd yet harmless hobby. While he inadvertently makes things worse for Brochant, he also, by accident, makes him reflect on his wrongdoings. It’s a nice way of showing that sometimes those we see as simple-minded or plain are actually the most thought-provoking. Another highlight is Francis Huster as Brochant’s ex-friend Juste Leblanc, who constantly laughs at his misfortune. Though he tries to help Brochant out of his situation, seeing him struggle to hold in his laughter is priceless.

As much as I hate to admit it, I felt that the title was a bit of a misnomer. Despite being told about the “dinner game,” we’re never actually shown it, though this feels intentional on Veber’s part. In a way, everything that transpires in Brochant’s apartment could be considered the real dinner game. However, instead of Pignon being made the subject of ridicule, Brochant becomes the idiot that everyone mocks. Still, it’s worth noting that if you go into this expecting to see the dinner game play out in full. Also, several gags seem to go on way longer than they should, which drags down the pacing quite a lot. Still, at roughly 80 minutes, the movie gets in and out very quickly without overstaying its welcome. Overall, The Dinner Game is an enjoyable, fun romp that, despite its flaws, has plenty to offer.

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