The French don’t usually do musicals, but Xavier Giannoli’s bittersweet portrait of an ageing variétés singer from Clermont-Ferrand owes much to the classic Hollywood backstager.
Fearing the onset of karaoke and tiring of bedding love-starved housewives, Gérard Depardieu brings world-weary charm to the minor celebrity whose infatuation with estate agent Cécile De France makes the round of dance-hall gigs and appearances at old people’s homes that bit more bearable.
Filmed in lush, gaudy colours, this is a film of heart and humour that consistently confounds expectations. Moreover, everything feels authentic, with Depardieu crooning his sentimental ballads with unassuming panache.